The Forgotten One
by Starwarshobbitfics
Summary: For the majority of the Galaxy, it is well known that the Skywalker twins, Luke and Leia, played a huge part in defeating the Empire and its leaders. There was another Force-Sensitive which also played a part in the fight against tyranny. Enter Mina Padmé Bonteri, the daughter of the Imperial Senator, Lux Bonteri, and the former Jedi Padawan, Ahsoka Tano. Cover Art by Darth Cody.
1. Prologue

**Meeting Room, House of Organa, Alderaan – Early 18 BBY**

Gathered around a large table, several Imperial Senators began to work on a Rebellion effort to thwart the recently created Galactic Empire. Risen from the ashes of the Old Republic, the new faction ruled over the Galaxy with an iron fist : Emperor Palpatine oversaw the fall of the Jedi Order, beginning with the destructive Clone Wars. With the Jedi mostly extinct, his rule was for the time unopposed. Any surviving Jedi that lived through Order 66 were hunted down either by the Inquisitors or by their master, Palpatine's right-hand and lethal enforcer, the dreaded Sith Lord Darth Vader.

Only a few Jedi were known to have survived, their whereabouts kept in utmost secrecy. Part of Bail Organa's resistance group was the former Jedi Padawan, Ahsoka Tano. Having recently rescued a group of farmers on Raada from Imperial occupation, she was offered to take charge of Communication and Spy Networks for the upcoming Rebellion. Only Senator Organa, Senator Mothma and Senator Chuchi knew her from her service during the Clone Wars. To everyone else, she was the Rebel Intelligence Head codenamed "Fulcrum".

Senator Organa was in the middle of planning their next move when a guard entered. He bowed before the Senators. "Senators, this young man here says he was contacted to join your efforts." He ushered the young-looking Senator in.

Bail happily made the introductions to his group. "I'm glad to see that your travels were safe. Everyone, this is Senator Lux Bonteri, of Onderon. Like us all, he is quite dissatisfied by the emergence of the Galactic Empire and its crippling rule."

Lux let out an audible groan. ""Dissatisfied" would be putting it mildly, Senator Organa. The moment I was contacted by this… "Fulcrum", I knew I had to help out. I will do whatever is in my power to make a difference."

As Lux took an empty seat, he noticed the young female Togruta not too far from him. "A-Ahsoka ? Is that you ?!"

She returned his gaze, smiling gently and nodding. "Lux, I'm glad that you could make it to our meeting."

"So you two know each other already ? That's great ! You'll be working very closely together." Bail cleared his throat. "Ahsoka is our Intelligence Head, you'd know her also as "Fulcrum"."

Lux nearly slipped off his chair in shock. "You're "Fulcrum" ?! But why did you garble your voice when you contacted me ?"

"It was the only way the Empire couldn't trace me down. For all they know, I'm dead and buried, killed by the Clones at the end of the Siege of Mandalore. It's the only way to keep in contact with fellow rebels. There's a big movement coming, Lux. If we unite together, chances are the Empire will eventually be toppled. But until that time comes, we build our forces, little by little, day by day." She explained.

Lux scratched the back of his neck nervously, gazing at Senator Organa. "So you've said that I and Ahsoka would be working closely together, what would be expected of me ?"

Bail rose from his seat, pacing around the two. "Ahsoka's job is to make the necessary connections to others rallied to our cause. Your job would be to arrange for pickup and delivery of various goods to aid the Rebellion to form. Are you up for it, Senator Bonteri ?"

"That doesn't sound too difficult, I'll do it."

"Ahsoka will fill you in on the details. This meeting is now adjourned. Thank you everyone for your attendance." Bail picked up his data pads and holo-discs, leaving with the other senators, leaving Ahsoka and Lux alone.

As they stepped out of the meeting room, Lux couldn't help himself to gaze at her. "You've grown a bit. Your lekku are longer than I remember them… and your montrals have gotten taller."

She seemed amused by his remark. "Well… I still have some growing to do. I would expect my lekku to reach down to my waist, at the very least. But I won't have that for a few more years. So, how have you been ? I haven't seen you since my mission on Onderon."

Lux gave her a look that told everything. He struggled to speak about his home planet. "Things were improving once King Dendup was back in power. Unfortunately, the moment the Empire rose, everything we fought so hard for was gone. King Dendup refused to swear loyalty to Emperor Palpatine and was executed the next day at Yohlan Square for all to see. It was a sad day for Onderon. Governor Tarkin, whom ruled the Inner Rim systems, quickly appointed a puppet minister to oversee the control of the planet. As you could imagine, the morale of the people has never been so low. If this continues, I fear the Galaxy at a whole will be crippled forever, unable to regain its former sense of peace and balance. That's why I'm glad to see some are willing to do something about all this."

"Lux, I am so sorry for the state of your home planet. Right now, there isn't much we can do… but later, the Empire will soon see that we don't appreciate being treated so poorly." She wrapped an arm around him, embracing him.

He decided to change the subject. "So, where will I be staying during my time here ?"

She pointed to a far-off building. "My apartment is over there. There's two bedrooms, one for each of us."

As they walked through a field in between buildings, they were approached by a farmer. "Hey Ahsoka ! Who's your friend ? Dare I say he's quite handsome."

Ahsoka introduced her friend. "Lux, this is Kaeden Larte. One of the farmers I rescued from Raada several months back. Kaeden, meet Lux Bonteri, the Senator of Onderon. He joined our efforts to rebel against the Empire."

"Your boyfriend ?" Kaeden asked.

Ahsoka's lekku stripes darkened momentarily, as Lux blushed from the comment. "N…no… Although… That could change eventually…"

Kaeden raised an eyebrow. "Really ? The two of you seem to make a nice pair. I can see it working with time." She checked her chrono. "My shift is about to begin, I better get to work if I want viable crops to feed us all. Talk to you two later !"

As Kaeden left off, Lux looked at Ahsoka with wide eyes. "D-did you really mean that ? You and I… ending up together ?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "It could happen. Remember, I'm no longer a Jedi, so I can fall in love with _anyone_ if I so desire."

Lux's mind was racing. " _Perhaps it's meant to be… I shouldn't get ahead of myself, if she responds favorably, so be it._ "

"We're here." Ahsoka lead him inside her apartment. It was pretty sparse, a couple of bedrooms, a small kitchen with a table for two, a refresher and a small area with a carpet used for meditation. On a night table besides her bed, her lightsabers laid.

Lux noticed the lack of distractions such as a holo-screen or even a Dejarik table. "I guess it's pretty quiet here."

She helped herself with a glass of water, pouring one for Lux as well. "Yes, I do appreciate solitude and silence. It helps me when I meditate. But now that you're here… things could change."

Lux chuckled. "You're happy to see me, aren't you ?"

She nodded. "Aside Kaeden, you're the only one around my age that I know. With the work I do for the Rebellion, I don't get the chance to meet many people."

They shared a quiet dinner together and gazed at Alderaan's beautiful landscape afterwards. Lux had a feeling that he was at the right place at the right time.

 **2 weeks later…**

Lux and Ahsoka have definitely got closer and comfortable with each other in a relatively short span of time. So much that even before the second week together ended, they shared her bed for the first time, consummating their relationship. As Lux woke up, he turned to see Ahsoka's breathtaking figure, still asleep.

" _It paid off to take it slow at first. I didn't imagine we'd sleep together so soon. I guess she was ready for it as much as I was._ "

Ahsoka soon woke up, exposing her sharp fangs as she yawned. "Morning, Lux. Wow, last night was amazing. I had no idea we were going to enjoy each other so much."

"It was worth the wait, Ahsoka. If anything, I'd say our relationship is stronger than ever. I can't imagine myself without you at this point."

She raised an eye marking. "Is that a poor attempt at a proposal I hear ?"

He blushed intensely. "That wasn't really my intention… but you could see it like that, yes. What do you think ?"

"Do I really need to answer ?" She rose out of bed and quickly gathered her clothes.

"I'll take it as a "yes". We've been together for hardly 2 weeks… and we're already talking about marriage and all…" He clothed himself and couldn't help but express his intense joy by hugging her tightly.

"The Force works in the strangest ways, Lux. I guess it was meant to happen." She made a beeline for the refresher, then moved over to the kitchen for breakfast.

A couple of weeks later, they arranged for a private wedding with only Senator Organa as witness.

 **1 month later…**

Another meeting with Senator Organa was ending. They would use Alderaanian Blockade Runners to accomplish their secret missions. As they exited the meeting room, Ahsoka grabbed hold of Lux's arm. "Don't be in such a rush. We need to talk."

Lux stared blankly at her. "What is it ?"

She smiled happily. "Something incredible happened !" She grabbed his hand and placed it on her stomach. "Lux… You're going to be a father."

He did a double-take. "Yo-you're pregnant ? REALLY ?!"

"According to the medical droid that checked me, I've been for the past 3 weeks. That would explain why I've been feeling nauseous during this time."

But Lux's happiness soon turned to worry. "But… is it safe to raise a child in these dark times ?"

She embraced him. "It's worth the risk. No matter what, our child will come to know peace. Let that be another motive to defeat the Empire."

He returned the embrace, making sure not to hold her too tightly. "I'll see to it that both you and the child will be safe at all times. I'll gladly give my own life if it means that you two get to continue living."

 **8 months later… - Late 18 BBY**

Ahsoka was struggling to give birth. Bail's wife, Breha, helped to deliver the baby. "Come on, Ahsoka ! You're almost there ! Just one more push !"

Ahsoka gave everything she had. Moments later, the sound of a crying baby rang through the medical bay. Breha quickly cleansed the child. "It's a girl ! From what I can see, she has inherited your lekku and montrals but has Lux's eyes. Congratulations to both of you !"

As the baby was placed in Ahsoka's arms, Lux knelt besides her. "Incredible ! I didn't think it was possible for Humans and Togrutas to cross-breed ! What will we name her ?"

She looked over to him, exhausted but immensely happy. "I think it's only fair that we honor your mother."

Lux agreed. "I like that. What about a middle name ?"

A proverbial lightbulb appeared over Ahsoka's head. "If it weren't for Senator Amidala's reaching out to your mother, I would've never have met you."

"So Mina Padmé Bonteri ? It does have a nice ring to it ! It's perfect."

Ahsoka held her newborn daughter in her arms. "Mina Padmé Bonteri, welcome to the world !"

 **2 years later… - 16 BBY**

The two parents celebrated their daughter's 2nd anniversary. Mina was offered the sweetest cake they could find. After she was put to bed, Lux and Ahsoka were arguing quietly.

"Do you really have to leave ? Mina needs you, as do I."

She gave him a sad look. "I'm sorry, Lux. Since Tarkin made a tour of the House of Organa, it's likely that he'll recognize me… despite my growth since I last saw him. I wish there was another way, but I need to stay away from here to protect you two. If the Empire discovers that Mina is Force-Sensitive, think of what they could do with her. I wouldn't want her to be turned into an Agent of Darkness like the one I fought on Raada a couple years ago. I'll do my very best to drop by at least once a month."

Lux quickly ceded to her plans. "I know that once you've got a plan in mind, there's no turning back. Be careful." He kissed her as she reached for her backpack.

She returned the kiss. "I love you ! I have faith that you'll raise Mina just fine. Make sure to keep her hidden from Imperial patrols, it's all I ask."

Lux looked sadly as his wife stepped out of the door, making her way to the spaceport in the dead of night.

 **7 years later… - 9 BBY**

In the Royal Courtyard, both girls were enjoying themselves, talking about anything under the sun. Breha kept a close eye on both. "Leia ! Mina ! It's time to come inside, dinner is ready."

Mina, ever polite, walked slowly to Leia's "mother". "What are we having, Miss Organa ?"

"Roasted Nuna. Your favorite, Mina." Breha ushered both girls to the dining room.

Leia was a year older than Mina, yet both girls immediately became friends once Lux brought her when she was 3 years old. As expected, the dinner was marvelous. Both children were give a slice of cake once their plate was empty.

As they were about to head back out, Lux had entered, looking for his daughter. "Mina ? Oh, there you are ! You're going to have to say goodbye to your friend Leia."

Mina raised an eye marking. "What's the rush, Dad ? Where are we going ?"

"I'm asked to return to Onderon, so I'm afraid you won't be seeing your friend for a while." He explained.

Mina turned to her friend, disappointed. "And I was hoping we could both go to the same Academy when we were going to be a bit older. Do you really have to go back ?"

Lux sighed. "I'm afraid so, Mina. My presence is now mandatory. And remember what your mother and I told you : You can't be by my side when Stormtroopers are patrolling around. They can't know that I'm married and have a little girl, ok ?"

Leia tried to raise Mina's sour mood. "Cheer up ! We'll see each other again. I'm sure of it."

Mina shook Leia's hands. "It's been fun, Leia. Guess I gotta go now. Take care of yourself, huh ?"

Both girls exchanged one last glance at each other before Lux urged Mina to hurry.

 **7 years later… - 2 BBY**

Both Mina and Lux were enjoying a quiet dinner. Ahsoka was gone again on one of her missions. This time she had gone with the surviving Jedi Kanan Jarrus and Ezra Bridger to visit the Jedi Temple on Lothal. When she returned, she looked devastated, with tear stains all over her face. Whatever horror she witnessed, she must have cried her heart out.

Lux was the first to notice her emotional state. "H-hey ! You're back. W-what's wrong ? Come on, talk to me !"

She was so out of it, she had trouble focusing to even sit down. "I… I h-had… a… *sniff" v-visio-… vision… *sniff* A-… Anakin… d… di… didn't… d…d… die… He… he… be… beca… became… Da… Darth… Vad… Vader… *sniff*" She buried her head in he hands, bawling loudly…

Lux couldn't believe his ears. "WHAT ?! Your Master became Palpatine's enforcer ? How ?!"

"I… I don't know… *hic* I should have never left him… I fa-failed him… *sniff*"

Lux turned to his daughter. "Mina, go to your room. I need to speak to your mother alone, please ?"

Mina, now a teenager at 16, didn't question his orders. She went upstairs, quickly glancing at her mother, now emotionally broken.

Lux tried to comfort her, rubbing her back in circles. "There was no way you could have known that this would happen. Everything that happened happens for a reason. They betrayed your trust, so you were in the right for leaving back then. We were meant to join together. If you had stayed, Mina wouldn't be here today.

I haven't known your Master for long, but he seemed emotionally unstable. I know you don't want to hear this right now, but perhaps a personal crisis of his drove him over the edge. And I'm confident that _you_ aren't the cause of it. You were gone long before it happened. Would you like me to make you a cup of tea ? Would that help to calm your nerves ?"

She nodded weakly. "At this point, I'll take anything. I've never felt so depressed in my whole life. I can't stop but think that I could have prevented his fall to the Dark Side had I stayed. I could've talked sense into him."

He hugged her. "I'm afraid that's in the past now, dear. Little point to dwell on it. Listen to me, you aren't responsible for his fall. I know it hurts, but you need to accept that it happened. If he is indeed Darth Vader, I fear he's way past the point of redemption."

 **1 month later…**

Lux had been contacted by Captain Rex. There was grim news. Not only was Kanan blinded by Maul, but Ahsoka was apparently "killed" by Darth Vader.

"Thank you for relaying these news to us, Captain." Lux's eyes were watery, an enormous lump formed in his throat. He whimpered nervously.

Mina walked down over to her father. "Dad ? What is it ? You look terrible…"

Lux turned to her, his throat feeling so dry. "M-Mina… I… I… I don't know how to…"

Mina suddenly felt worried. "You don't mean… ?"

Lux nodded weakly.

Mina fought against the urge to scream. "No… No. NO ! Mom can't be dead ! This isn't possible ! Mom was strong !"

 **A week later…**

Lux went down for his usual glass of water in the middle of the night. As he poured the water, his holo-transmitter beeped.

For a few moments, he hesitated to answer. When he did, he was greeted to the hologram of Ahsoka. Battered, but alive.

"Thank the Force I got through to you." She whispered.

Lux rubbed his eyes. "Ahsoka ? Is this a dream ?"

She snorted a laugh. "No, it isn't. I'm alive and well, Lux. But I will need a pickup eventually."

"H-how did you… ?" Lux stammered.

She coughed a bit, she was tired, had a fair amount of dust on her. "I just got lucky. The explosion of the Sith Temple cut our duel short. I'm not seeing Ana… I mean, Vader, anywhere. My guess is that an Imperial shuttle picked him up."

Mina, woken by the noise, walked down the stairs. "What's with the noise, Dad ?"

Lux motioned to her. "Mina, come over here. You won't believe it…"

Mina raised an eye marking. "Won't believe _what_?"

She looked at the hologram. Ahsoka waved at her. "Hi, sweetie."

Mina slapped herself. "Am I awake ? Is that really Mom ?"

"Alive and well, Mina. I thought you knew through our intense training, I'm made of tougher stuff."

Mina breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank the Force ! You'll be coming home soon, right ?"

Ahsoka nodded. "As soon as I can. I trust your father will arrange for a lift."

Lux looked at his busy schedule. "Well… I can't fetch you just now. Too many meetings that require my presence. Will you be all right for a week or two ?"

"Two weeks, tops. There's only so much water on Malachor that will sustain me. And I'm running out of rations. The faster you can come and get me, the better."

"I'll try for a week and a half if I can manage. Take care of yourself." Lux waved her goodbye.

Ahsoka blew him a kiss through the hologram. "I'll be waiting for you. I love you !"

 **2 years later, following the Battle of Scarif… - 0 BBY**

Lux's shuttle, the Tydirium, landed at Orondia's nearly abandoned fuel station. As Lux, Ahsoka and Mina waited, the Millennium Falcon landed not too far from them.

Inside the cockpit of the Falcon, the smuggler Han Solo and his first mate, the Wookie Chewbacca, stepped down to meet the Bonteri Family.

"Senator." Han bowed respectfully.

Lux corrected him. "I'm no longer serving in the Imperial Senate, Captain Solo. Nevertheless, I'm glad that you came here to meet with us."

Han raised an eyebrow. "Ok. So why have you brought me and Chewie to this dump, then ?"

Lux pushed Mina forward gently. "This is Mina, our daughter. With the Empire tightening their security force even more than ever, we would like to ensure that she lives to know peace. I'm entrusting you, Captain Solo, to look after her well-being. She's a competent mechanic and accomplished pilot. I have little doubt she will make your travels all the more easier."

Han nodded. "Ok, but what about you two ?"

Lux motioned to Ahsoka. "My wife, Ahsoka, has a place in mind where we can live peacefully, away from the presence of the Empire."

Han cleared his throat. "How old are you, kid ?"

Mina shot a smirk towards him. "I've recently turned 18, so I'm not a kid anymore, sir. I'm sure I could be useful to you. Give me time and I'll prove myself."

Han turned to his first mate. "What do you think, Chewie ?"

The Wookie growled in agreement. Han nodded. "That's what I thought too. Good enough for me."

"Ok, Mina. We better get moving." Han urged her to get inside. They plotted their course for Tatooine.

As the Falcon took to space, Lux and Ahsoka were sitting in the cockpit of the Tydirium. "Are you sure it's safe to trust that smuggler ? I trust Chewbacca… But Han… I'm not so sure, Lux."

Lux eased her mind. "Captain Solo has made deliveries for the Rebellion in the past. I trust his judgement, Ahsoka."

Ahsoka sneaked for a quick kiss. "If you trust him, then I guess I should too. Well… we better get moving. We do have a long flight ahead of us."

Lux checked the flight maps. "Where are we going ?"

"Lah'mu. It's where the Erso Family held a farm before Krennic sought him out to finish the design of the Death Star's superlaser. The Empire won't bother coming back to that planet. We'll live a simple life, just farming crops for ourselves… well, yourself, pretty much."

Lux raised an eyebrow. "And what do you know about farming ?"

"My friend Kaeden gave me some useful tips for getting started. We'll do fine. After the Empire crumbles, we'll seek out the survivors of the Rebellion."

With that, the couple began their flight to the Erso farm, living peacefully, far from the evil rule of the Empire.

 **Finally ! I've been itching to begin writing this story for so long. As some of you will notice, I placed references not only to the Ahsoka book and Rogue One, but it also connects to some of my past stories. Over the next chapter, we'll see Luke, Obi-Wan meet with Han, Chewbacca and Mina. We'll kick off the A New Hope plot from the Tusken Raiders scene. Feel free to leave a review.**


	2. The Fateful Meeting

**Lars Homestead, Tatooine**

Owen Lars paced around the center of his home, calling out to his nephew. "Luke ? Luke ? Luke ?"

Getting no answer, he went to see his wife, Beru, who was busy cooking some form of vegetables. "Have you seen Luke this morning ?"

She turned to him, briefly distracting herself from her cooking. "He said he had some things to do, so he left off early."

Owen raised an eyebrow. "Did he bring those two new droids with him ?"

"I think so."

Owen turned back towards the exit of their kitchen. "Well, he'd better be here by midday, or there will be Hell to pay !"

 **Jundland Wastes**

Luke Skywalker was chasing R2-D2, who went off on his own through the night. In his speeder, he could detect moving objects. He turned to C3PO. "Look, there's a droid on the scanner. Dead ahead ! I see our little R2 unit ! Hit the accelerator !"

Unknown to him, Luke was being watched by a group of Sand People, also known as Tusken Raiders. One was about to shoot him from a distance, but another convinced the other to take him head on instead. They quickly mounted their domesticated Banthas, following him through the treacherous area.

Having finally caught up to R2, both Luke and C3PO stepped off the speeder to attempt to talk some sense into him. Luke stepped in front of the small astromech. "Hey, woah ! Where do you think you're going ?"

He beeped a reply, getting C3PO a bit angry. "Master Luke is your rightful owner now. We'll have no more of this Obi-Wan Kenobi gibberish ! And don't talk to me about your mission, either ! You're fortunate he doesn't blast you into a million pieces right here !"

Luke tried to pacify the protocol droid. "No, it's all right. I think we better go…"

R2 suddenly reacted by stomping nervously, beeping continuously. Luke couldn't understand him. "What's wrong with him now ?"

C3PO understood his binary. "There are several creatures approaching from the southeast."

"Sand People… Or worse !" Luke walked over to his speeder and grabbed his rifle. "Come on, let's go have a look." He motioned the two to follow him. "Come on !"

They wandered to a cliff edge. Lying low, Luke watched from a distance with his electro-binoculars. "There are two Banthas down there, but I don't see any… Wait a second, they're Sand People all right, I can see one of them now !"

Before Luke could make another move, a Tusken Raider managed to sneak right in front of him and startle him. C3PO, in his typical panic, backed away to a rock and fell backwards, losing an arm in the process. The Tusken Raider attempted to club Luke with his Gaffi Stick. Luke used his rifle to block the first few blows, but was quickly knocked down on the rocky terrain. He rolled around to dodge several more blows until he got the wind knocked out of him. He was brought near his speeder and dropped like a sack, clearly unconscious.

R2-D2 watched hopelessly, hidden under a rock crevice, as the Sand People looked inside Luke's speeder for parts they could salvage for their own needs. Their search and collection, however, was cut short when a particular howl made them flee in fear. It sounded like the dreaded Krayt Dragon, one of Tatooine's most vicious creatures, but it was in fact a hooded person, coming towards Luke.

Kneeling before Luke, the robed figure checked his pulse. Relieved that he was just knocked out, he removed his hood to reveal an aged face, one who weathered through harsh times. Gray hair and beard, the man didn't seem to be intent on harming Luke. Noticing R2, he called out to him. "Hello there ! Come here, my little friend. Don't be afraid."

R2 beeped a response. The man was in fact Ben Kenobi, or rather Obi-Wan. Once a powerful Jedi Master, now a protector for Luke. Ben, able to understand Binary, smiled. "Oh, don't worry. He'll be all right."

R2 rolled over to Ben while Luke woke out of his "sleep", feeling his head. "What happened ?"

Ben knelt to Luke's sitting form. "Rest easy, son. You've had a busy day. You're fortunate to still be in one piece."

Luke looked over to the man, recognizing him. "Ben ? Ben Kenobi ? Boy, am I glad to see you !"

Ben helped him up. "The Jundland Wastes are not to be traveled lightly. So tell me, young Luke, what brings you out this far ?"

Luke motioned to R2. "This little droid. I think he's searching for his former Master… But I've never seen this devotion in a droid before. He claims to the property of Obi-Wan Kenobi, a resident of these parts. Is he a relative of yours ? Do you know what he's talking about ?"

Ben pondered an answer. " _Amazing that you've survived for so long, little one. Unfortunately, your Master has…_ " Ben pushed the painful memories to the back of his mind. "Obi-Wan Kenobi… Obi-Wan ? Now that's a name I haven't heard in a long time… A long time."

Luke shrugged his shoulders. "I think my uncle knew him. He said he was dead."

Ben chuckled. "Oh, he's not dead… Not yet."

Luke's expression was of astonishment. "Do you know him ?"

Ben pointed to himself. "Of course, I know him. He's me." He sat next to Luke. "I haven't gone by the name of Obi-Wan since before the day you were born."

Luke tilted towards R2. "So the droid does belong to you ?"

" _Not him, my young friend. He belonged to your parents, but you can't know that yet. My own droid, R4, was destroyed during the Battle of Coruscant. It's too early to tell you about that either._ " Obi-Wan stroked his beard. "Don't seem to remember owning a droid ? Very interesting."

Their conversation stopped once their heard the cries of the Tusken Raiders in the distance. Obi-Wan rose up. "I think we better get indoors. The Sand People are easily startled, but they'll be back and in greater numbers."

As they were about to head out, R2 let a series of beeps. Suddenly, Luke noticed what was amiss. "3PO !" He looked around until he saw the protocol droid on the ground, missing an arm.

C3PO noticed his empty arm socket. "Where am I ? I must have taken a bad step ?"

Luke helped to lift him up. "Can you stand ? We've got to get out of here before the Sand People return."

C3PO always responds in over-dramatic ways. "I don't think I can make it. You go on, Master Luke. There's no sense in risking yourself on my account. I'm done for."

R2 beeped sadly.

Luke scoffed at 3PO response. "No, you're not ! What kind of talk is that ? Come on, let's move." With a bit of help from Obi-Wan, C3PO was safely placed in the speeder, with his broken arm. They would use the speeder to reach Obi-Wan's home in record time.

 **Obi-Wan's Home**

Luke was in the process of finishing to place C3PO's arm back in place. He glanced over his shoulder back at Obi-Wan, whom was sitting on a chair and sipping tea. "No, my father didn't fight in the wars, he was a navigator on a spice freighter."

Obi-Wan sighed, displeased at Owen Lars' lies. "That's what your uncle told you. He didn't hold with your father's ideals. He wanted you to stay here and not get involved."

Luke caught on to the reveal. "You fought in the Clone Wars ?"

Obi-Wan chuckled softly, recalling the better times of his life. "Yes, I was once a Jedi Knight, the same as your father."

Luke's curiosity changed to slight sadness. "I wish I could've known him…"

Obi-Wan made sure to only mention the better qualities of Anakin. "He was the best starfighter pilot in the Galaxy, and a cunning warrior. And he was a good friend. Which reminds me…" He stood up and rummaged inside a nearby chest, holding a metal object, which was unknown to Luke. "I have something here for you. Your father wanted you to have this when you were old enough, but your uncle wouldn't allow it. He feared you might follow old Obi-Wan on some damned-fool idealistic crusade like your father did."

C3PO tapped Luke on the shoulder. "Sir, if you'll not be needing me, I'll close down for a while."

Luke nodded. "Sure, go ahead." The protocol droid promptly deactivated itself. Luke held the odd metal object in his hand. "What is it ?"

"Your father's Lightsaber. This is the weapon of a Jedi Knight. Not as clumsy or as random as a blaster. An elegant weapon for a more civilized age. For over a thousand generations, the Jedi Knights were the guardians of peace and justice in the Old Republic. Before the Dark Times, before the Empire… During the Clone Wars, your father had a gifted student whom could wield two lightsabers in combat. Her skills were only surpassed by myself and your father's…"

Luke ignited the saber and swung it a few times, careful not to slash anything but the air around him. His curiosity kicked in again. "What happened to her ? And how did my father die ?"

Obi-Wan took a deep breath before answering, pondering his words carefully. "There were… complications for her. She was wrongfully accused for a terrible crime and once she was cleared of her charges, she left the Jedi Order to forge her own path. Before she could finish her training. Amongst our ranks, there was a young Jedi named Darth Vader. He was a pupil of mine before he turned to evil. He helped the Empire hunt down and destroy the Jedi Knights. He betrayed and murdered your father. Rumors are your father's student also fell to Vader's power… Now the Jedi are all but extinct. Vader was seduced by the Dark Side of the Force."

Luke raised an eyebrow. "The Force ?"

Obi-Wan sensed the boy had immense potential. "The Force is what gives the Jedi their power. It's an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us and penetrates us. It binds the Galaxy together."

R2 beeped a notice. Obi-Wan knelt to him. "Now, let's see if we can figure out what you are, my little friend. And where you come from."

Luke turned his attention back to the astromech. "I saw a part of the message he was…"

Obi-Wan cut him off, as the recorded hologram began to play. "I seem to have found it."

Princess Leia's beautiful figure stood tall and proud, even in the midst of chaos. "General Kenobi, years ago you served my father in the Clone Wars. Now he begs you to help him in his struggle against the Empire. I regret that I am unable to present my father's request to you in person, but my ship has fallen under attack and I'm afraid my mission to bring you to Alderaan has failed. I have placed information vital to the survival of the Rebellion into the memory systems of this R2 unit. My father will know how to retrieve it. You must see this droid safely delivered to Alderaan. This is our most desperate hour. Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi, you're my only hope."

The hologram fazed out as Obi-Wan leaned back on his chair, pondering what to do next. " _Like Anakin and Ahsoka, he will learn his potential._ " He leaned over to the boy. "You must learn the ways of the Force, if you're to come with me to Alderaan."

Luke did a double-take. "Alderaan ? I'm not going to Alderaan. I've got to go home. It's late, I'm in for it as it is."

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow. "I need your help, Luke. She needs your help. I'm getting too old for this sort of thing."

Luke shook his head. "I can't get involved ! I've got work to do ! It's not that I like the Empire, I hate it ! But's there's nothing I can do about it right now. It's such a long way from here…"

Obi-Wan snorted a chuckle. "That's your uncle talking !"

Luke sighed. "My uncle ! How am I ever going to explain this ?"

Obi-Wan smiled gently. "Learn about the Force, Luke."

Luke thought about what would be best. "Look, I can take you as far as Anchorhead. You can get a transport there to Mos Eisley or wherever you're going."

Obi-Wan stood up, gathering what little belongings he had. "You must do what you feel is right, of course."

With that, the two men took off with the droids on Luke's speeder.

 **Strategic Meeting Room, Death Star**

Several high ranking imperials were discussing recent events. While Colonel Yularen sat and listened, the nervous-looking Commander Tagge spoke.

"Until this battle station is fully operational, we are vulnerable ! The Rebel Alliance is too well equipped. They're more dangerous than you realize !"

Admiral Motti scoffed at Tagge's fears. "Dangerous to your Star Fleet, Commander ! Not to this battle station !"

Tagge growled inwardly. "The Rebellion will continue to gain support in the Imperial Senate as long as…"

Suddenly, Grand Moff Tarkin walked into the room, followed by Darth Vader. "The Imperial Senate will no longer be of any concern to us. I've just received word that the Emperor has dissolved the council permanently. Senator Bonteri has left his position several years back. Senator Mothma also left not long after him, and she went as far as to align herself with the Rebel Alliance. Senator Organa was the last to be un-ceremonially tossed out. The last remnants of the Old Republic have been swept away."

Tagge looked at his superior, eyes wide in shock. "Impossible ! How will the Emperor maintain control of the bureaucracy ?"

Tarkin gave an evil smile. "Regional governors now have direct control over their territories. Fear will keep the local systems in line. Fear of this battle station."

Tagge raised an eye brow. "And what of Grand Admiral Thrawn ? He had been useful in snuffing out the early Rebel attempts."

Tarkin took his designated seat. "Grand Admiral Thrawn has been sent to the Unknown Regions. It was a personal request of the Emperor. I feel that Lord Vader and I can handle things well enough."

Tagge went back to the original topic. "And what of the Rebellion ? If the Rebels have obtained a complete technical readout of this station, it is possible, however unlikely, that they might find a weakness and exploit it."

Darth Vader crossed his arms, staring at Commander Tagge. "Director Krennic made sure Galen Erso's work was not compromised. The plans you refer to will soon be back in our hands."

Admiral Motti joined in to lessen Tagge's worries. "Any attack made by the Rebels against this station would be a useless gesture, no matter what technical data they've obtained. This station is now the ultimate power in the universe. I suggest we use it."

Vader looked down on Motti. "Don't be too proud of this technological terror you've constructed. The ability to destroy a planet is insignificant, next to the power of the Force."

Motti rolled his eyes. "Don't try to frighten us with your sorcerer's ways, Lord Vader. Your sad devotion to that ancient religion has not helped you conjure up the stolen data tapes, or given you clairvoyance enough to find the Rebels' hidden fort…"

Motti was cut off as Vader proceeded to choke him with the Force. "I find your lack of faith disturbing."

As Motti clawed at the invisible grip on his throat, Tarkin rolled his eyes. "Enough of this ! Vader, release him !"

"As you wish." The hold over Motti left, having him hit his face on the table.

"This bickering is pointless ! Lord Vader will provide us with the location of the Rebel base by the time this station is operational. We will then crush the Rebellion with one swift stroke !"

 **Tatooine Desert Wastelands**

On the way to Anchorhead, the group came across a Jawa Sandcrawler, abandoned with bodies lying about. As Luke stepped out to take a closer look, he couldn't believe his eyes. "It looks like Sand People did this, all right ! Look, there's Gaffi Sticks, Bantha tracks… I've never heard of them hitting anything this big before…"

Obi-Wan noticed oddities. "They didn't, but we are meant to think they did. These tracks are side by side. Sand People always ride single file to hide their numbers."

Luke recognized the vehicle. "These are the same Jawas that sold us Artoo and Threepio."

Obi-Wan pointed at the Sandcrawler's thick hull. "And these blast points… Too accurate for Sand People. Only Imperial Stormtroopers are so precise."

"Why would Imperial Troops want to slaughter Jawas ?" Luke wondered. He looked at the two droids and back at the dead Jawas. He quickly made the connection. The Empire was searching for them ! "If they traced the droids here, they may have learned who they sold them to. And that would lead them… HOME !" Luke raced to his speeder, quickly starting it.

"Wait, Luke ! It's too dangerous !" Obi-Wan warned, despite being ignored by the boy.

 **Lars Homestead**

In record time, Luke arrived to the place he called home, only to find it in smoking ruins. Stepping out of his speeder, he raced to look if anyone survived. "Uncle Owen ?! Aunt Beru ?! … Uncle Owen ?!" His gaze met with two charred skeletons lying by the doorway. His worst fears had been realized, his adoptive parents were killed. Taking a moment to mourn their passing, he went back to join Obi-Wan and the droids.

 **Deserted Sandcrawler area**

Upon returning, Luke noticed C3PO tossing the Jawa corpses into a self-made fire. Obi-Wan could tell what Luke went through simply by looking at his face.

He placed a comforting arm around the boy's shoulder. "There was nothing you could have done, Luke, had you been there. You'd have been killed, too, and the droids would be in the hands of the Empire."

Luke looked to the aged Jedi Master, making a sudden decision. "I want to come with you to Alderaan. There's nothing here for me now. I want to learn the ways of the Force and become a Jedi like my Father and his student."

Obi-Wan smiled, happy memories flooding his mind. "They were quite the pair. With training, I have faith that you'll become as powerful as they were. We should head out now."

Several hours later, they arrived at a cliff overseeing the busy Spaceport of Mos Eisley. "Mos Eisley Spaceport. You will not find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. We must be cautious." Obi-Wan suggested.

 **Mos Eisley Spaceport**

They entered the Spaceport and moved towards a particular cantina. Before they could reach their destination, they were stopped by a group of Stormtroopers. The lead trooper, adorned with an orange pauldron on his left shoulder, began to question Luke about the droids with him.

"How long have you had these droids ?"

"About 3 or 4 seasons." Luke replied nervously.

"They're not for sale if you want them." Obi-Wan added.

Ignoring Obi-Wan, he returned his attention back on Luke. "Let me see your identification."

Obi-Wan stared at the trooper through his visor, almost hypnotizing him. "You don't need to see his identification."

"We don't need to see his identification." He repeated to his fellow troopers.

"These aren't the droids you're looking for." Obi-Wan pointed at R2 and C3PO.

"These aren't the droids we're looking for." The lead trooper repeated.

"He can go about his business." Obi-Wan motioned to Luke.

"You can go about your business." The lead trooper just stood there, stunned.

"Move along." Obi-Wan said, smiling lightly.

The lead trooper finally let them go. "Move along ! Move along !"

Luke was shocked at what happened. He couldn't keep silent for long. When they stopped at the cantina, he looked at Obi-Wan with amazement. Jawas quickly gathered around the speeder, hoping to steal some spare parts for themselves.

C3PO quickly expressed his displeasure. "I can't abide these Jawas ! Disgusting creatures !"

Luke shooed them away before turning to Obi-Wan. "Go on, go on ! I still can't understand how we got by those troops. I thought we were dead."

Obi-Wan chuckled inwardly. "The Force can have a strong influence on the weak-minded. You will find in it a powerful ally."

Luke watched as people of all species entered and left the cantina entrance. "Do you really think that we'll find a pilot here that'll take us to Alderaan ?"

"Well, most of the best freighter pilots can be found here. Only watch your step, this place can be a little rough." Obi-Wan guided Luke inside.

"I'm ready for anything." Luke boasted.

As R2 and C3PO followed them, they noticed a battered orange astromech standing by the entrance, simply grumbling away in binary. "Come along, R2."

Once inside, Luke had never seen such an array of exotic alien species. There were Biths playing a jazzy tune while Devaronians, Duros, Ithorians and many others were quenching their thirst. Alone at a table sat a green-skinned female Twi'lek, with goggles on her head, nursing a drink.

Luke was about to ask her when the barman let out a shout. "Hey ! We don't serve their kind here !"

Luke turned over to him. "What ?"

"Your droids ! They'll have to wait outside ! I said the same thing to that Twi'lek by you." The barman explained.

"Probably for the best, Chopper would have caused a ruckus in here." The Twi'lek mumbled.

Luke urged the droids off. "Listen, why don't you two wait by the speeder ? We don't want any trouble here."

C3PO nodded. "I heartily agree with you, sir." He went off with R2.

Luke returned his attention to the Twi'lek. "Excuse me, miss… are you a pilot by any chance ?"

She looked up to him. "Yes, I am. Why do you ask ?"

Luke scratched the back of his neck. "Uh, just wondering if you happen to be heading out towards Alderaan ?"

She shook her head. "I'm afraid not. I'm needed elsewhere. But I'm sure you'll come across someone here that can provide you a lift."

Luke nodded. "Thanks anyways." While Obi-Wan was speaking to a Wookie, Luke decided to get himself a drink. By his side, a couple of unfriendly people kept staring at him.

An Aqualish gurgled something to Luke. Not understanding what he meant, Luke just ignored him and took a sip of his drink. He is soon tapped on the shoulder by another human, with a mangled face. "He doesn't like you." He translates.

Luke just shrugged his shoulders. "I'm sorry."

The man grabbed Luke by the shoulders. "I don't like you either. You just watch yourself. We're wanted men. I have the death sentence in 12 systems."

"I'll be careful." Luke tried to return to his drink.

"You'll be dead !" The man was ready to fight with Luke.

"HEY ! Don't you have anything better to do than bothering people ?!" The voice came from behind the man and the Aqualish. A girl about Luke's age, she looked Human enough, but the 3 large tentacles hanging from her head definitely stood out. She looked like a Togruta, but her skin tone was too light.

The man let go of Luke and focused on her. "Beat it, shrimp ! Or I'll give you a clobbering you won't forget !"

The girl taunted him. "Try me."

The man tried to punch her in the face, but she dodged the blow and grabbed him by the arm, tossing him over her shoulder into a wall, knocking him unconscious. She readied herself for the Aqualish. "Want to try your luck too ?"

The Aqualish gurgled a reply, signaling that didn't want to get hurt like his friend.

Another man, in fairly plain clothing, sat at a distant table, slowly clapping. "Good going, Mina ! Did you really have to make a scene ?" He asked.

Mina's headtails darkened slightly. "Sorry, Han. I just can't stand seeing others oppressing the weak !"

Luke couldn't help but stare at her. She was definitely good-looking and strong ! A good combination. "Thanks for standing up for me."

She couldn't help but smirk at him. "You're welcome. Anything to help those in need."

Obi-Wan stood besides the two, amazed at Mina's quick reflexes. " _She looks strangely familiar. Could she be… ?_ " He cleared his throat, getting Luke's attention. He motions to the Wookie. "Chewbacca here is first-mate on a ship that might suit our needs."

Chewbacca lead Obi-Wan and Luke to the table where Han sat, nursing a drink. Mina soon followed and sat by Han's side.

Han made the introductions. "Han Solo, I'm Captain of the Millennium Falcon. This girl here is Mina Bonteri, our mechanic and second-mate. Chewie here tells me you're looking for passage to the Alderaan system."

Obi-Wan took a seat, beginning his usual "negotiations". "Yes, indeed. If it's a fast ship."

Han raised an eyebrow. "Fast ship ? You've never heard of the Millennium Falcon ?"

Obi-Wan stroked his beard. "Should I have ?"

Han scoffed. "It's the ship that made the Kessel run in less than 12 parsecs ! I've outrun Imperial Starships, not the local bulk-cruisers, I'm talking about the big Corellian ones ! She's fast enough for you, old man. What's the cargo ?"

"Just myself, the boy, two droids… and no questions asked." Obi-Wan whispered the last bit.

Han smiled in return. "What is it ? Some kind of local trouble ?"

Obi-Wan brought himself to Han's level. "Let's just say we'd like to avoid any Imperial entanglements…"

Han rubbed his hands, knowing he was going to get a worthwhile job. "That's the real trick, isn't it ? And it's gonna cost you extra. 10 000, all in advance."

Luke did a double-take. "10 000 ?! We could almost buy our own ship for that !"

Han looked at Luke mockingly. "But who's going to fly it, kid ? You ?"

"You bet I could ! I'm not such a bad pilot myself ! We don't have to sit here and listen…" Luke was about to walk away but Obi-Wan grabbed his arm, giving him a stern look.

Obi-Wan reached for his credit chips. "We can pay you 2000 now… plus 15 when we reach Alderaan."

Han wasn't sure he heard right. "17, huh ?" He thought for a moment, then proceeded to shake hands with Obi-Wan. "Ok, you guys got yourself a ship. We'll leave as soon as you're ready. Docking Bay 94."

"94." Obi-Wan made a mental note. He left off with Luke, leaving Han with Chewbacca and Mina.

Han couldn't believe his luck. "17 000 ! These guys must really be desperate. This could really save our necks ! I want the two of you back to the ship and get her ready."

Mina was looking forward to this flight more than ever. She enjoyed meeting new people and had a certain feeling about Luke. There was something about him. "We'll have her prepped in no time, boss !" She left with Chewbacca.

In the streets of Mos Eisley, Obi-Wan and Luke were discussing how to raise their current amount of credits.

"You'll have to sell your speeder." Obi-Wan suggested.

Luke happily agreed. "That's ok. I'm never coming back to this planet again."

Back at the cantina, Han was about to leave but was cornered by a Rodian Bounty Hunter named Greedo. " _ **Going somewhere, Solo ?**_ "

Seeing that Greedo had a blaster aimed at him, Han backed away to his table, sitting down. "Yes, Greedo. I was about to see your boss. Tell Jabba that I have the money."

Greedo sat opposite to him, never letting his guard down. " _ **You're too late for that ! You should have paid him when you had the chance. Jabba has put a price on your head, so large that every Bounty Hunter in the Galaxy will be looking for you. I'm lucky I found you first.**_ "

Han tried to reason with him. "Yeah, but this time I have the money."

Greedo motioned to himself. " _ **If you give it to me, I might forget I found you.**_ "

Han rolled his eyes. "I don't have it with me… Tell Jabba…" He reached behind his back for his blaster.

" _ **Jabba's through with you ! He has no time for smugglers who drop their shipments at the first sign of an Imperial cruiser !**_ " Greedo retorted angrily.

Han groaned at the Rodian's arrogance. "Even I get boarded sometimes ! Do you think I had a choice ?"

Greedo offered a solution. " _ **You can tell that to Jabba. He may only take your ship.**_ "

Han gasped in shock. "Over my dead body !"

Greedo laughed. " _ **That's the idea ! I've been looking forward to this for a long time !**_ "

"Yeah, I'll bet you have !" In blinding speed, Han took out his blaster and shot at Greedo before he could act, killing him.

All the bar patrons took a moment to stare at the Rodian's smoking corpse, before returning to their regular drinking.

As Han set out to leave, he tossed a credit chip to the barman. "Sorry about the mess !"

 **So Han and his crew finally meet Obi-Wan and Luke. Speech in bold and italics is Huttese. How about that Rebels cameo appearance ? Over the next chapter, we'll cover the flight towards Alderaan up to the arrival at the Death Star. During the flight, Luke will learn about the Force and Obi-Wan will learn about Mina's special parentage. Feel free to leave a review.**


	3. Arrival at the Death Star

**Main Control Room, Death Star**

Princess Leia had been held captive for a few rotations. During this time, she was tortured into giving out the location of the Rebel Base. Vader tried searching her mind with the Force… to no avail. A droid fitted with a syringe, supposed to make her talk, didn't work either. Grand Moff Tarkin stood in the center of the Death Star's control room. The final touches had been done and the station was finally operational.

Vader paced around his "superior". "Her resistance to the mind probe is considerable. It will be some time before we can extract any information from her."

An Imperial officer interrupted the two. "The final check-out is complete. All systems are operational. What course shall we set ?"

Tarkin cupped his chin, as an evil thought entered his mind. "Perhaps she would respond to an alternative form of persuasion."

Vader stopped in his pacing. "What do you mean ?"

Tarkin chuckled evilly. "I think it is time we demonstrate the full power of this station." He turned to the officer, waiting for a course to be set. "Set your course for Princess Leia's home planet of Alderaan."

"With pleasure." The officer went off to tell the technicians of the laser's course.

 **Mos Eisley streets, Tatooine**

While R2 and C3PO were waiting for Obi-Wan and Luke to pick them up, several Stormtroopers were checking out all entrances in search of the droids.

The duo hid in a small stall, with a retractable, locking door. "Lock the door, R2."

The astromech complied, saving both from Imperial capture.

A Stormtrooper knocked on the door a few times. "This door is locked, let's move on to the next one."

As they left off, R2 unlocked the door, only to be berated by C3PO. "I would much rather have gone with Master Luke than stay here with you. I don't know what the trouble is all about, but I'm sure it must be your fault."

R2 beeped a reply, none-too pleasing to C3PO.

"You watch your language !"

Elsewhere in the streets, Luke is haggling with a resident for his speeder. Luke looked disappointed at the buyer's offer. He reluctantly took the credits. "Look at this ! Since the XP-38 came out, they just aren't in demand."

Obi-Wan had a feeling things would work out. "It'll be enough."

They went off to fetch the droids, unaware that an alien wearing a cloak was following them.

Once R2-D2 and C3PO were picked up, they hurried to where the Millennium Falcon was docked. "If the ship is as fast as he's boasting, we ought to do well." Obi-Wan mused.

After some minutes of walking, the four finally met with Chewbacca waiting by the entrance. As they entered the docking bay, the alien following them sent the information to the present Imperial troops.

As they entered the docking bay, they could see the freighter in all her glory. Mina was busy soldering some parts that needed to be fixed on the hull.

Luke didn't waste time to share his uneducated opinion. "What a piece of junk !"

Mina shut off her soldering equipment and raised her helmet. "Hey ! Don't knock her until you see her in action, buster !"

Han walked out to greet them, a bit insulted by Luke's comment. "She'll make point five beyond the speed of light. She may not look like much, but she's got it where it counts, kid. I've made some special modifications, myself. We're a little rushed, so if you'll hurry aboard, we'll get out of here."

Chewbacca motioned the others up the ramp. After the 4 went in, Han and Mina followed.

She wasn't afraid to voice her thoughts. "Why do I get the feeling that this flight won't be our usual fare ?"

Han shrugged his shoulders. "Must be your imagination, Mina. Come on, go and give Chewie a hand to start her up. I'll do some last check-ups before we go."

"You're the boss !" She quickly joined Chewbacca in the cockpit.

In the busy streets, a group of Stormtroopers rushed to meet with the mystery alien. "Which way ?"

The alien pointed to the docking bay door in front of him.

The Stormtrooper wearing the orange pauldron on his shoulder took command. "All right, men. Load your weapons !"

Upon entering the docking bay, they immediately began to fire on the hull of the Falcon. "There they are ! Stop that ship ! Blast them !"

Han quickly shot a couple Stormtroopers before racing back inside, slamming the button that shuts off the entryway. "Chewie, Mina, get us outta here !"

"This is it ! Here we go !" Mina pressed the controls so the Falcon could begin to take flight. Escaping the docking bay, they were soon into space.

R2-D2 and C3PO sat around a Dejarik table. A memory hit the protocol droid like a wall of durasteel. "Oh, my ! I'd forgotten how much I hate space travel !"

Mina turned her attention to the radar. "We've got two Imperial Star Destroyers trying to block us off, Han."

Han quickly thought how to escape. "Our passengers must be hotter than I thought. Let's try and hold them off ! Chewie, angle the deflector shield ! Mina, make the calculations for the jump to light speed !"

"On it !" Mina pressed a button, bringing up a small pad. She quickly entered coordinates into it. "A few minutes and we're free from these Imperials, Han !"

Soon, Obi-Wan and Luke joined the 3, causing the cockpit to be quite cramped. Mina once again checked the radar. "Two more Star Destroyers coming in, they're going to try to cut us off !"

Han patted her shoulder. "Girl, you know what to do ! You didn't take those flight lessons for nothing, right ? Right !"

"Why don't you outrun them ?! I though you said this thing was fast !" Luke had to open his big mouth.

Han quickly countered him. "Watch your mouth, kid ! Or you'll find yourself floating home ! We'll be safe enough once we make the jump to hyperspace. Besides, Mina here knows a few tricks I've taught her. We'll lose them !"

The Star Destroyers blasted at the Falcon's hull, causing the ship to rock violently.

Han leaned over Mina's shoulder, looking at her piloting. "Here's where the fun begins !"

"How long before we make the jump to light speed ?" Obi-Wan asked.

"It'll take a few more moments to get the coordinates into the navi-computer." Han looked over the calculations being made.

Luke began to panic. "Are you kidding ?! At the rate they're gaining…"

Han turned to him. "Traveling through hyperspace isn't like dusting crops, boy ! Without precise calculations, we could fly right through a star or bounce too close to a supernova and that'd end your trip real quick, wouldn't it ?"

Suddenly an alarm beeped and a light flashed constantly on the console.

Luke pointed right at it. "What's that flashing ?!"

Mina batted his hand out of the way, glaring at Luke. "Do you mind ?! I'm trying to fly here !"

Han quickly explained. "We're losing our deflector shield. Go strap yourself in, kid. Mina will make the jump to light speed."

Mina quickly pulled a lever, beginning the Falcon's travels through hyperspace, far away from Imperial entanglements.

 **Main Control Room, Death Star**

Tarkin was staring at the screen showing a planet in range. Admiral Motti walked over to the Grand Moff and bowed to him. "Governor, we've entered the Alderaan system."

Tarkin turned around to see Princess Leia escorted by two Stormtroopers and Darth Vader close by. "Welcome, my dear."

Leia, while obviously worn out by the torture she endured, wasn't out of razor-sharp "barbs". "Governor Tarkin, I should have expected to find you holding Vader's leash. I recognized your foul stench when I was brought onboard."

Tarkin grinned at her. "Charming, to the last. You don't know how hard I found it signing the order to terminate your life !" He cupped her chin, which made her squirm a bit.

She freed herself from his hold. "I'm surprised you had the courage to take the responsibility yourself !"

Tarkin scoffed at her "barbs". "Princess Leia, before your execution, I would like you to be my guest at a ceremony that will make this battle station operational. No star system will dare oppose the Emperor now."

Leia shook her head. "The more you tighten your grip, Tarkin, the more star systems will slip through your fingers."

"Not after we demonstrate the power of this battle station. In a way, you have determined the choice of the planet that'll be destroyed first. Since you are reluctant to provide us with the location of the Rebel base, I have chosen to test this station's destructive power… on your home planet of Alderaan." Tarkin motioned to the screen.

Leia, thinking of her adoptive parents and all her people, panicked. "NO ! Alderaan is peaceful ! We have no weapons ! You can't possibly…"

Tarkin cut her off, causing her to back up against Darth Vader. "Would you prefer another target ? A military target ? Then name the system ! I grow tired of asking this. So it'll be the last time. _Where_ is the Rebel base ?"

Leia quickly thought of a deserted location. "Dantooine… They're on Dantooine."

Tarkin smiled to Vader. "There. You see, Lord Vader. She can be reasonable." He turned to Admiral Motti. "Continue with the operation. You may fire when ready."

Leia couldn't believe her ears. "WHAT ?!"

Tarkin grinned wickedly at her. "You're far too trusting. Dantooine is too remote to make an effective demonstration. But don't worry. We will deal with your Rebel friends soon enough."

Leia tried to break free of Vader's hold, but all she could do was watch helplessly as he home planet would be destroyed by the Empire's superweapon. "No…"

Admiral Motti gave the definitive order. "Commence primary ignition."

Several Imperial technicians activated the super-laser. In moments, the beautiful planet of Alderaan was reduced to bits of meteorites. Leia stood still, clearly in shock.

 **Erso Farm, Lah'mu**

Ahsoka was in the middle of shoveling earth to prepare for new crops. She dropped her shovel as she felt a disturbance in the Force. It affected her so much, that she fell on her knees and vomited right on the ground. Lux ran over to her. "W-what's wrong ? You-you're not pregnant again, are you ?!"

She took a few moments to recover from her sudden nausea. "No, Lux. I would've known already if I was and I would have told you. I just felt the biggest tremor in the Force since Order 66. Millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror… and then… eerie silence. Something big has happened, the question is what ?"

Lux helped her to stable herself. "I wouldn't put it past the Empire to make an example by a destroying a planet. My guess is that the Death Star has been completed and is operational. And before you even think of getting involved, we've done our part. It's time to let others do the fighting. Let's hope that Mina is doing all right."

She turned to him, a frown on her face. "If something happened to Mina, I would've felt it, don't you think ? You can breathe easy, Lux. My Force bond with her tells me that she's fine."

Lux scratched his neck in embarrassment. "Right, how silly of me ! Stay here, I'll get you a glass of water." He ran over to the homestead.

 **Aboard the Millennium Falcon, through hyperspace**

Chewbacca was playing Dejarik against R2-D2 and C3PO. Mina and Han were in the cockpit, discussing future travel routes. Luke was busy practicing with his lightsaber by fighting a seeker droid, trying to block the harmless bolts. He is distracted when Obi-Wan laid a hand over his heart and sat down. He shut off the lightsaber, walking over to him. "Are you all right ? What's wrong ?"

Obi-Wan took a deep breath before explaining. "I felt a great disturbance in the Force… It's as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced. I fear something terrible has happened." He motioned to the seeker droid. "You'd better get on with your exercises."

Suddenly, Mina ran over to them. "What was that ?! I've never felt such darkness like this before…"

Obi-Wan turned over to her. "So my senses haven't proven me wrong : You are indeed Force-Sensitive, child."

Mina shrugged her shoulders. "What if I am ? And you never told us your names…"

"I'm Luke Skywalker and that's Obi-Wan Kenobi." Luke answered.

Mina did a double-take. "Kenobi ?! From the Clone Wars ?!"

Obi-Wan nodded. "Indeed, I am. You've heard of me ?"

Mina gasped in shock. "Of course I've heard of you ! My parents talked a lot about you !"

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow. "And… I knew your parents ?"

Mina couldn't help but smirk. "Stop goofing around ! You served with my mother when she was younger ! Or have you forgotten ?"

Obi-Wan chuckled in reply. "I see… So you are the daughter of Ahsoka Tano. I wasn't aware she had a child after the war. Very interesting. Who is your father ?"

Mina made herself comfortable, taking a seat near the Dejarik table. "You've met him during one mission, when you, my mother, Master Skywalker and Captain Rex helped to train some rebels. Mom even stayed behind to offer counsel during the insurgency.

Obi-Wan had a clue of whom Mina's father now was. "Let me gues… Lux Bonteri is your father ? Why am I not surprised ? I noticed your mother and him exchanging longing stares during our training sessions. I guess it was a matter of time until they found each other again. I would say their union wasn't a waste. You seem to have definite potential, young one."

Mina crossed her arms, raising an eye marking. "But I _do_ have potential. I'm even pretty far ahead of Luke here. I'll have you know I'm already a master of Jar'Kai, Ataru and Shien lightsaber combat forms !"

Luke looked at her with awe on his face. "You have a lightsaber too ?!"

Mina scoffed at Luke's obvious ignorance. "Not one, Luke. Two. _Two._ So, your last name is Skywalker, huh ? Any relation to Anakin Skywalker ?"

Mina's question caught him off-guard. "Why, he's my father ! Well… he was…"

Mina nodded. "Yeah, from what my mother told me about him, you look a lot like him."

Luke did a double-take. "Huh ?! Your mother knew my father ?"

This time, Obi-Wan took over for answers. "She was your father's Apprentice, Luke. During the Clone Wars, she was first assigned to him during the Battle of Christophsis. At first, they were at odds with each other. With time, they quickly found common ground and also discovered that they were very much alike in behaviour. Anakin was always one to rush through the battlefield. Ahsoka was no different. Though, I heard rumors that she perished on Malachor against Darth Vader."

Mina quickly dispelled the rumors. "It's a rumor that should remain a rumor, Master Kenobi. Translation : Mom's fine. She lived through the ordeal."

Obi-Wan breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank the Force. Another survivor from the Old Republic. May I ask where she is or what she is doing ?"

Mina shook her head. "That's classified info. For her safety and privacy, I'll not say a word about her whereabouts."

Obi-Wan nodded. "I understand and respect that. Perhaps later, you could show us your skills against that seeker droid."

"It would be my pleasure. But we'll let Luke practice some more. He definitely needs it."

Han solo entered the room. "Well, you can forget your troubles with those Imperial slugs. I told you we'd outrun them."

Luke went back to practice with his lightsaber.

Noticing no comment, Han had to crack a joke. "Don't everybody thank us at once !"

C3PO was entranced by the game played by Chewie and R2-D2.

Han checked his chrono. "Anyways, we should be at Alderaan in about, oh… 200 hours."

C3PO noticed that Chewie was about to catch R2 off-guard. "Now, be careful, R2."

R2 pressed a button, getting one of his hologram to battle against one of Chewie's destroying it. Much to Chewie's displeasure. He growled at the astromech.

C3PO tried to pacify the Wookie. "He made a fair move ! Screaming about it won't help you !"

"Let him have it. It's not wise to upset a Wookie." Han warned.

C3PO argued with Han. "But sir, nobody worries about upsetting a droid."

"That's because droids don't pull people's arms out of their sockets when they lose. Wookies are known to do that." Han explained.

"I've seen it myself ! It's pretty gruesome !" Mina added.

C3PO nodded, turning to R2. "I see your point, both of you. I suggest a new strategy, R2. Let the Wookie win."

R2 beeped disapprovingly, causing Chewie to growl a response.

Obi-Wan kept a close eye on Luke's lightsaber training. "Remember, a Jedi can feel the Force flowing through him."

Luke let himself be distracted. "You mean it controls your actions ?"

"Partially. But it also obeys your commands." Obi-Wan replied.

Luke tried to block several bolts, but one came and hit him in the arm, causing him to lose focus.

Han snickered at Luke's attempts. "Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid."

Mina elbowed Han, causing him to stumble slightly. "What do you think these are ?! Flashlights ?!" She pointed to her two lightsabers hanging on her belt.

Han was about to slide a rude remark but Luke faced the smuggler, getting his attention. "You don't believe in the Force, do you ?"

Han snorted a laugh. "Kid, I've flown from one side of the Galaxy to the other, I've seen a lot of strange stuff. I've never seen anything to make me believe that there's one all-powerful "Force" controlling everything. There's no mystical energy field controlling my destiny."

"Of course not, because you're not Force-Sensitive !" Mina deadpanned.

Han rolled his eyes at the two youths. "It's all a lot of simple tricks and nonsense, if you ask me." He turned to Mina. "Don't get saucy with me, huh ?"

Mina stuck out her tongue to him. ""Saucy" is my middle name… Wait a minute… No, it isn't ! It's "Snips", like what Master Skywalker used to call Mom during the Clone Wars."

Luke seemed amused by the silly nickname. "Ok… so what did your mother call my father then ?"

""Skyguy". You know… I think I'll refer to you as the same." She let a mischievous smirk escape her lips.

Luke shook his head. "No, no, nicknames are silly. Let's just call each other by our real names, ok Mina ?"

Mina stretched herself in her seat. "If you insist, Luke."

Obi-Wan broke through their camaraderie, bringing a helmet to Luke. "I suggest you try it again, Luke. This time, let go of your conscious self and act on instinct."

The helmet covered his eyes. "With the blast shield down, I can't even see. How am I supposed to fight ?"

Obi-Wan backed away, readying the seeker droid for another round. "Your eyes can deceive you. Don't trust them."

Luke ignited his lightsaber, trying to follow the seeker's movements. He ended up miscalculating its position and was struck on the elbow.

"Stretch out with your feelings." Obi-Wan suggested.

Luke focused and managed to deflect the oncoming bolt. Once it was done, the seeker droid deactivated itself and Luke extinguished his lightsaber.

"You see ? You can do it." Obi-Wan patted him on the shoulder.

Han laughed at the two. "I call it luck."

Obi-Wan turned to Han. "In my experience, there's no such thing as luck."

"Look, good against remotes is one thing. Good against the living ? That's something else." Han winked at Luke.

Mina rose from her seat. "Ok, ok, you amateurs. Make room for me. Have a look at how a professional does this."

Obi-Wan leaned against his chair. "Careful not to choke in overconfidence, young one."

"Overconfidence nothing !" She turned to Luke. "Watch… and learn."

The seeker was set on its highest setting. As it began its program, Mina ignited her two lightsabers. She expertly deflected every single bolt.

While Luke stood speechless, Obi-Wan applauded Mina's performance. "Well done, Mina. Am I wrong to assume your mother has taught you ?"

Mina's lekku darkened slightly. "No, you're right, Master Kenobi. She taught me everything she knew… and then some."

"You would have become a role model for many Younglings in the Jedi Order, had you been born during the days of the Old Republic. I even believe you would have been knighted by now." Obi-Wan felt a pang of sadness, recalling the extinction of the Jedi Order.

"Mom told me the same thing. She told me that if she had stayed in the Order and peace would become reality, she would have petitioned for the Attachment Rule in the Code to be abolished. She had thought of having a child with Dad if the rule got abolished, but her treatment during the Temple Bombing Incident caused her to postpone the idea. She told me how surprised she was when she met him again on Alderaan. Dad keeps joking that my conception was an accident, but I think they knew full-well what they were getting into once they got _real cozy_ with each other." Mina's lekku darkened to its deepest extent.

Suddenly, an alarm beeped, getting Han's attention. "Looks like we're coming up on Alderaan. Mina, head out to the cockpit and be ready to exit hyperspace."

"Yes, sir !" Mina ran over to the pilot seat, ready to return to normal space. Once she did, she was in for a surprise. "Woah ! Hey, everybody ! You need to come up here ! NOW !"

Luke removed the helmet. "You know, I did feel something. I could almost see the remote."

Obi-Wan patted the boy on the shoulder. "That's good. You've taken your first step into a larger world. We should head to the cockpit, judging by Mina's voice, something of great importance awaits us."

 **Strategic Meeting Room, Death Star**

Tarkin and Vader were discussing future plans when an Imperial officer entered to give a detailed report.

Tarkin was ready to hear it all. "Yes ?"

The officer cleared his throat, slightly nervous. "Our scout ships have reached Dantooine. They found the remains of a Rebel base, but they estimate it has been deserted for some time. They are now conducting an extensive search of the surrounding systems."

The officer left the two alone once his report was given. Tarkin was fuming. "She lied ! She lied to us !"

Vader didn't seem surprised. "I told you she would never consciously betray the Rebellion."

Tarkin had his fill of Leia. "Terminate her… immediately !"

 **Aboard the Millennium Falcon**

The ship rocked as the rest of the crew met up with Mina. Han looked through the window. "What the ? We've come out of hyperspace into a meteor shower ! Some kind of asteroid collision. It's not on any of the charts. Mina, try not to get the ship scratched too much while you fly around, huh ?"

Mina looked over her shoulder, staring right back at Han. "Not getting some scratches is practically impossible, but I can manage to keep us alive at least !"

Luke entered the cockpit with Obi-Wan. He didn't seem to understand why there were asteroids all over the place. "What's going on ?"

Han pointed to the data on the navi-computer. "Our position is correct… except there's no Alderaan…"

Luke nearly got a panic attack. "What do you mean ? Where is it ?!"

Han came to the most logical conclusion. "That's what I'm trying to tell you, kid. It ain't there… It's been totally blown away."

Mina gasped at the revelation. "Oh. My. Force. How ? HOW ? Ohhh… Senator Organa and his wife were still on the planet when… They… *sniff* They practically raised me with my friend Leia until I was 9 years old. I thought hearing about Leia being around Tatooine not too long ago. My gut feeling tells me she wasn't on Alderaan when it got destroyed. At least… she survived."

Obi-Wan placed a comforting hand on Mina's shoulder and closed his eyes. "I fear it is true. How unfortunate. I had saved Senator Organa during the Clone Wars when he was directing a mercy mission on Christophsis." He felt the cause of the destruction. "Alderaan was destroyed… by the Empire !"

Han wasn't buying Obi-Wan's theory. "The entire Imperial Starfleet couldn't destroy the whole planet. It'd take over 1000 ships and more fire power than I've…"

Another alarm started to blare, interrupting Han's opinion. He looked at the scanner. "There's another ship coming in."

Luke thought it could be a survivor. "Maybe they know what happened ?"

The roar of the thrusters was all-too familiar to Obi-Wan. "It's an Imperial fighter."

The Tie-Fighter passed right in front of them. Luke came to his most logical conclusion. "It followed us !"

Obi-Wan shook his head, recognizing the design. "No, it's a short-range fighter."

Luke once again felt a bit nervous. "It sure is leaving in a big hurry. If they identify us, we're in big trouble !"

Mina turned to Han. "How do we deal with this, boss ?"

Han turned to Chewie. "Chewie, jam its transmissions."

Obi-Wan didn't see a lone Tie-Fighter as a threat. "It'd be as well to let it go. It's too far out of range."

"Not for long… Mina, get ready to blast it when I give the signal."

Obi-Wan wondered where it came from. "A fighter that size couldn't get this deep into space on its own."

Luke kept his eye on the distant ship. "It must have gotten lost, probably part of a convoy or something."

"Well, he ain't going to be around long enough to tell anyone about us." Han was about to give Mina the signal to shoot.

In the far distance, a gray moon began to be seen.

"Look, he's headed for that small moon." Luke pointed out.

Mina rolled her eyes. "No kidding, Captain Obvious !"

Suddenly, Obi-Wan noticed the odd landscape as they approached. "That's no moon… It's a space station !"

Han shook his head. "It's too big to be a space station !"

Luke swallowed a lump in his throat. "I've got a bad feeling about this."

Mina began to show signs of nervousness. "Uhh… you know, I'd have to agree with our friend here. Maybe we could go somewhere else, huh ?"

Obi-Wan stood behind Mina. "Girl, turn the ship around."

Mina tried to get the ship to move, but the controls weren't cooperating. "No good. Chewie, can you lock in the auxiliary power… like _now_?"

Chewie flicked a switched, but it did nothing.

Luke scratched his head. "Why are we still going towards it ?"

Han knew exactly what they were dealing with. "We're caught in a tractor beam ! It's pulling us in !"

Luke grabbed Mina's shoulders. "There's gotta be something you can do !"

Mina looked over her shoulder. "Sorry, Luke. Once we're caught in a tractor beam, it's impossible to free ourselves unless someone else gives us a hand by blasting off the mechanism. In our case, we're out of luck !"

Han addressed his two co-pilots. "There's nothing we can do about it, kid ! We're at full power. Mina, Chewie, we're going to have to shut her down. They won't get us without a fight !"

Obi-Wan sighed, placing a hand on the smuggler's shoulder. "You can't win ! But there are alternatives to fighting."

The Millennium Falcon was hauled into an empty hangar bay. Once it landed on the ground, dozens of Stormtroopers surrounded the ship.

In the Strategic Meeting Room, Tarkin's communicator buzzed. He quickly pressed the button, awaiting a response. "Yes ?"

"We've captured a freighter entering the remains of the Alderaan system. It's markings match those of the ship that blasted its way out of Mos Eisley."

"They must be trying to return the stolen plans to the Princess. She may yet be of some use to us." Vader suggested.

He made his way to where the Millennium Falcon was grounded. An officer rushed to meet him. "There's no one on board, sir. According to the log, the crew abandoned ship right after takeoff. It must be a decoy, sir. Several of the escape pods have been jettisoned."

"Did you find any droids ?" Vader asked.

The officer shook his head. "No, sir. If there were any onboard, they must have also been jettisoned."

Vader didn't want to take chances. "Send a scanning crew onboard. I want every part of this ship checked."

The officer commed for the scanning crew. "Yes, sir. Get me a scanning crew in here on the double ! I want every part of this ship checked !"

Suddenly, Vader felt a disturbance in the Force. "I sense something… A presence I haven't felt since…" He went off to meet back with Tarkin.

 **So the Falcon's crew have finally entered the Death Star, though not voluntarily. Over the next chapter, we'll cover the crew's adventures on the Death Star, from their entrance into the Terminal Room to their escape with Leia at their side. Expect a fair bit of "barbs" from Mina. She definitely inherited Ahsoka's attitude. We'll see Mina and Leia's long-awaited reunion, the crew almost getting themselves killed in a garbage masher and Obi-Wan's sacrifice. Feel free to leave a review.**


	4. A Daring Rescue and Honorable Sacrifice

**Inside the Death Star Hangar**

Moments ago, the ship had been dragged into a specific hangar, courtesy of a tractor beam. While Stormtroopers casually explored the ship, the crew hid out of sight, under the floor panels. Once the troopers passed, they slowly came out.

Luke wiped the sweat off his brow, given how quickly they rushed to hide in time. "Boy, it's lucky you had those compartments."

"I use them for smuggling. I never thought I'd be smuggling myself in them. This is ridiculous ! Even if I could take off, I'd never get past the tractor beam." Han explained.

"Leave that to me !" Obi-Wan slowly pulled himself out of the hiding spot.

Han scoffed at him. "Damn fool ! I knew you were going to say that."

Obi-Wan turned to Han, smiling. "Who's the more foolish ? The fool or the fool who follows him ?"

Chewbacca and Mina popped their heads out, the former growling softly to express his displeasure.

Outside by the ship's boarding ramp, the scanning crew finally arrived with their equipment. A Stormtrooper motioned to them to get moving. "The ship's all yours. If the scanners pick up anything, report it immediately."

Once the two men entered the ship, they were quickly subdued by the crew. Han had a decent idea. They could use the Stormtrooper armor to sneak in more easily. He called out to the two guarding the boarding ramp. "Hey down there ! Could you give us a hand with this ?"

As the two Stormtroopers ran inside, they were caught by surprise. They only got to release a couple of blaster bolts before being knocked out. Han donned one of the armors. "Ok, who's taking the other one ?"

Mina shook her head, pointing to her montrals and lekku. "Not me ! Helmets and I don't get along too well !"

Luke took it for himself, quickly realizing how uncomfortable it was.

Over at the Hangar Command Office, an Imperial officer tried to contact one of the Stormtroopers that were supposed to be guarding the boarding ramp. "TX-412. Why aren't you at your post ? TX-412, do you copy ?"

Han stepped down from the boarding ramp, pointing to his helmet.

The officer guessed the malfunction. He turned to one of the technicians. "Take over. We've got a bad transmitter. I'll see what I can do."

Just as the officer was about to press the button to open the door, it slid open on its own, revealing the towering Wookie. Chewbacca knocked the officer out of commission with a single blow. Han shot one of the technicians down while Mina used Force-Push to knock the last remaining one into the wall, rendering him unconscious.

"You know, between his howling and your blasting everything in sight, it's a wonder the whole station doesn't know we're here !" Luke muttered.

Mina shrugged her shoulders. "Han isn't exactly known for being subtle. You have proof at this very moment."

Han huffed at the two youths. "Bring them on ! I prefer a straight fight to all this sneaking around."

C3PO guided R2-D2 around the room. "We have found the computer outlet, sir."

Obi-Wan quickly started making a search, revealing maps of every single floor of the station. "Plug in. He should be able to interpret the entire Imperial network."

R2 quickly found the most vital part of the map. He beeped something to C3PO. "He says he's found the main computer to power the tractor beam that's holding the ship here. He'll try to make the precise location appear on the monitor. The tractor beam is coupled to the main reactor in seven locations. A power loss at one of the terminals should allow the ship to leave." C3PO pointed out as various maps flashed on the screen.

Quickly studying the map layout, Obi-Wan was ready to seek out the closest location. "I don't think you boys can help. I must go alone."

Han certainly had no intention of getting involved further. "Whatever you say. I've done more than I bargained for on this trip already."

Luke couldn't stay put. "I want to go with you."

Obi-Wan declined his offer. "Be patient, Luke. Stay and watch over the droids."

"But he can…" Luke argued, before being cut off by Obi-Wan.

"They must be delivered safely or other star systems will suffer the same fate as Alderaan. Your destiny lies along a different path than mine. The Force will be with you… always !" He left off on his own.

Mina waved to Obi-Wan. "Good hunting !"

Once Obi-Wan was out, Chewie growled a comment. Han seemed to agree with him. "Boy, you've said it, Chewie !" He gave a concerned look at Luke. "Where did you dig up that old fossil ?"

"Hey ! We're talking about a veteran of the Clone Wars ! He served with my mother ! Have a little respect !" Mina shot a dirty look at Han, frowning.

Luke joined in in defending Obi-Wan. "Ben is a great man."

"Yeah, great at getting us into trouble !" Han shot back.

"I didn't hear you give any ideas…" Luke argued.

Han just laid on the chair, clearly not interested to stick around. "Well, anything would be better than just hanging around, waiting for him to pick us up…"

"We can't keep sneaking around like this, we'll get caught eventually. I don't know about the rest of you, but I'd rather not get captured and possibly get sold into slavery. I've heard horrifying tales of the spice mines of Kessel." Mina huddled herself, shuddering.

Before they could argue further, R2 beeped continuously, getting C3PO's attention.

Luke, still unable to understand Binary, needed C3PO's translation skills. "What is it ?"

C3PO seemed slightly confused. "I'm afraid I'm not quite sure, sir. He says "I found her" and keeps repeating "She's here"."

Luke raised an eyebrow. "Well… who has he found ?"

R2 whistled loudly. C3PO looked over to the four. "Princess Leia."

Mina's eyes went wide as saucers. "Leia's here ?! How about that ?"

Luke recognized the name. "The Princess ? She's here ?"

Han had no clue what the youths were going on about. "Princess ? What's going on ?"

Mina quickly enlightened him. "The Princess of Alderaan, Han. So my senses haven't deceived me. She did survive. We were best friends when we were little girls. We've known each other for at least 5 years… before Dad had to move back to Onderon, me along with him."

C3PO looked over the various maps that R2 played on the monitor. "Level 5. Detention Block AA-23. I'm afraid she's scheduled to be terminated."

Luke wouldn't allow this to happen. "Oh, no ! We've got to do something !"

Han shook his head. "What are you talking about ?"

"The droids belongs to her. She's the one in the message. We've got to help her !" Luke pleaded.

Mina sat a nearby chair, facing Luke. "I agree with the sentiment, Luke. Problem is, we don't have a plan on how we'll sneak within the Imperial ranks and find that detention area."

Han crossed his arms, not interested in Leia's rescue. "Now, look you two ! Don't get any funny ideas. The old man wanted us to wait for him right here."

Luke argued some more. "But he didn't know she was here ! Look, can you just find a way to the detention block ?"

Han shrugged his shoulders. "I'm not going _anywhere_."

"What is it, Han ? Scared of Stormtroopers ? I fail to see why, since their aim is terrible." Mina jabbed.

Luke tried to pull him off the chair. "They're going to execute her ! Look, a few minutes ago you said you didn't want to just sit and wait for us to get captured. Now all you want to do is stay ?!"

Han rolled his eyes. "Marching into the detention area is not what I had in mind !"

Luke was almost at the point of pulling his hair out in frustration. "But they're going to kill her !"

"Better her than me !" Han shot back.

Mina knelt besides Han, begging for his help. "Han, listen to me ! She's the last member of the Royal Family of Alderaan and is also a high-ranking member in the Rebel Alliance ! We need her presence to inspire hope into the hearts of all those involved against the Empire. Her life is too important to be thrown away ! Please Han, give us a hand here !"

Suddenly, Luke thought of a way to entice the smuggler : The promise of payment. "She's rich."

Han raised an eyebrow. "Rich ?"

Luke knew that he hooked him. "Yes. Rich… powerful ! Listen, if you were to rescue her, the reward would be…"

Han hoped for estimate. "What ?"

"Well, more wealth than you could imagine !" Luke kept "pulling the line".

Han was doubtful. "I don't know, I can imagine quite a bit !"

Mina tilted towards Han, whispering in his ear. "She just inherited everything Bail and Breha Organa had to their name. Believe me… you'd be able to retire yourself countless times. Her fortune is likely pretty impressive, you'd be a complete fool to pass this chance up !"

"You'll get the money !" Luke promised.

"I better !" Han retorted, already regretting to go ahead with the two.

"You will !" Luke rubbed his hands, satisfied that Han and Chewie's participation in the rescue were now guaranteed.

Han sighed, getting up. "All right, you two. You better be right about this. What's the plan ?"

Luke looked around the room for anything to make Chewie look like a prisoner. "Uh, 3PO, hand me those binders there, will you ?"

As C3PO gave Luke the cuffs, he quickly approached Chewie. "Ok. Now, I'm going to put these on you."

Chewie protested by roaring at the boy, causing him to sheepishly back away. "Uh, Han ? You put them on."

Han cuffed Chewie, with only a soft growl coming out of the Wookie. "Don't worry, Chewie. I think I know what he has in mind."

Mina offered herself to be cuffed as well. "If you want it to look more convincing, I ought to have my hands bound too !"

Han nodded, looking for more binders. "Good thinking, Mina !"

Mina scoffed at him, punching Han on the shoulder. "What do you expect ? I'm pretty much the "brains" of this operation !"

"Why, you little…" Han grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her forward with Chewie by her side.

Both men quickly placed the Stormtrooper helmets on their heads, ready to make their way to the detention level. As they were about to leave, C3PO had very valid concerns. "Master Luke, sir ! Pardon me for asking, but what should R2 and I do if we're discovered here ?"

"Lock the doors." Luke said plainly.

"And hope they don't have blasters." Han added.

C3PO huddled over to R2. "That isn't very reassuring." He muttered. R2 beeped an agreement as the doors closed after the 4 left.

Through the many hallways of the Death Star, Luke and Han "guided" Chewie and Mina to the nearest elevator. On a particular passage, they encountered a small Mouse droid, to which Chewie scared it away by simply roaring at it.

Mina chuckled at his stunt. "What do you know ? The Wookie is so scary, little Mouse droids flee in terror !"

Chewie responded to her with a growl, which Mina picked up thanks to Ahsoka's early teachings of Shyriiwook, the Wookies' most common tongue.

She stuck her tongue out at him. "Oh yeah, you've got me shaking in my boots, buddy !"

Luke had no clue what the exchange of insults was about. "What did he tell you ?"

"That he'd give me a good clobbering if I didn't stop being a smartass, basically. Like that would happen." She couldn't help but snicker at Chewie's threats.

Han gave her a forceful shove in the back with the blaster. "You know, if you want us to look convincing, do us a favor and _shut up_!"

Mina's stripes darkened for a moment. " _He's right. Myself and Chewie are supposed to be prisoners. If our camaraderie becomes too apparent, they'll have reason to be suspicious._ "

As they passed many Imperial officers and Stormtroopers, most ignored them. Only a few threw a curious glance at the Wookie and at the Half-Togruta. They finally reached an elevator and quickly entered it. An Imperial officer was about to join them, but Han made a motion signaling there was no room for him.

As the door shut in front of them, Luke had problems of his own. "I can't see a thing in this helmet !"

Elsewhere in the Death Star's many hallways, Obi-Wan quietly sneaked past patrols of Stormtroopers and Imperial officers. No one really seemed to notice him going around.

Several moments later, the elevator was close to the detention level.

The binders given to Chewie were too small, they couldn't stay attached for long. "This is not going to work." Han muttered.

Luke groaned inwardly. "Why didn't you say so before ?!"

"I _did_ say so before." Before further arguing could continue, the door slid open, revealing a security desk with several Imperial officers and a couple of guards, two rows of holding cells laid behind left and right of a long corridor going deeper into the station.

The highest ranking officer faced the four, not knowing what to make of Chewie and Mina. "Where are you taking these… _things_?"

"Prisoner transfer from Block 1138." Luke quickly answered.

Unconvinced, the officer in charge went to his comlink. "I wasn't notified. I'll have to clear it !"

As one of the guards approached Chewie. He broke free of his binders and grabbed himself a blaster for his own use.

"Look out, he's loose !" The guard tried to shoot down the Wookie, but he was quickly brought down with a blow to the face.

"Time to start the fireworks !" Mina slid out of her binders and reached for her lightsabers, igniting them. She deflected the other guard's blaster bolt and had it hit the lower-ranking officer, killing him.

"A Jedi ! We need reinforcements !" The high-ranking officer was about to slam the alarm button, but one of Han's blaster bolts hit him, preventing from communicating with the others.

During the chaos, Han, Luke and Chewie made sure to blast all of the security cameras over the room. When the smoke cleared, the comlink on the main console beeped continuously. Han shoved the body off the chair looked at the readout of the holding cells. "We've got to find out which cell this Princess of yours is in. Here it is… Cell 2187. You and Mina go get her, Me and Chewie will hold them off." He pressed the comlink button. "Everything is under control. Situation normal."

A voice rang through the comlink. "What happened ?"

Han had to think of a plausible story quick. "Uh, we had a slight weapons malfunction. But uh… everything's perfectly all right now. We're fine. We're all fine here, now. Thank you. How are you ?"

"I'm sending a squad up."

Han began to panic. "Uh, uh… Negative. We had a reactor leak here now. Give us a few minutes to lock it down. Large leak, very dangerous."

The operator on the other end began to get suspicious. "Who is this ? What's your operating number ?"

Han quickly shot the comlink out of commission. "Boring conversation anyways !" He looked out to the long hallway at the back. "LUKE ! MINA ! WE'RE GOING TO HAVE COMPANY ! HURRY IT UP !"

"This is the one." Mina pressed the button, opening the cell. Inside, Leia was laying on her side. Once Mina stepped in, she couldn't help but shoot a friendly jab at her long-time friend. "You did say we'd see each other again… I never expected I'd show up to save you from Imperial imprisonment of all things. Aren't you glad to see me ?"

Leia rubbed her eyes. "Mina… Mina Bonteri ?! Can it really be you ?"

Mina snorted a laugh. "The one and only ! Who'd you were expecting ? The Tooth Fairy ? And don't worry about him, he's on our side." Mina pointed to Luke, still in his Stormtrooper outfit.

"Aren't you a bit short to be a Stormtrooper ?" Leia teased.

Luke let himself be momentarily distracted by her beauty. "Huh ? Oh, you mean the uniform !" He quickly removed the helmet off. "I'm Luke Skywalker ! We're here to rescue you ! We've got your R2 unit and we're here with Ben Kenobi !"

That revelation got a reaction in Leia. "Ben Kenobi ?! Where is he ?!"

Luke urged her to hurry out. "Come on !"

 **Strategic Meeting Room**

Vader paced around Tarkin, bothered by the presence he felt earlier. "He is here…"

Tarkin was doubtful, still recalling how effective Order 66 and the ensuing Inquisitors were in taking out any surviving Jedi. "Obi-Wan Kenobi ? What makes you think so ?"

"A tremor in the Force. The last time I felt it was in the presence of my old Master." Vader kept pacing more and more.

"Surely he must be dead by now."

Vader pointed a finger menacingly at the Governor. "Don't underestimate the power of the Force."

Tarkin shrugged his shoulders. "The Jedi are extinct, their fire has gone out of the universe. You, my friend, are all that's left of their religion."

Before the conversation could continue, Tarkin's comlink buzzed. "Yes ?"

"We have an emergency alert in detention block AA-23." A security official explainined.

Tarkin knew what that meant. "The Princess ?! Put all sections on alert !"

Vader stopped his pacing and faced Tarkin. "Obi-Wan is here. The Force is with him."

"If you're right, then he must not be allowed to escape !" Tarkin wouldn't let any Jedi escape from his station… alive.

"Escape is not his plan. I must face him alone." Vader quickly turned around and made his way through the hallways, hoping to come across his old Master.

 **Detention Area**

Near the security desk, the buzzing sound of machines cutting through the elevator's door rang loud and clear. Stormtroopers would soon cause further problems.

Han pulled Chewie away from the possible firing range. "Chewie ! Get behind me ! Get behind me !"

As the Stormtroopers slowly entered the detention area, an all-out shootout followed. Many Stormtroopers were brought down by Han and Chewie, but more kept pouring in.

As Luke and Mina arrived with Leia, Han turned to them, pointing at the elevator door. "Can't get out that way !"

Leia groaned inwardly. "Looks like you've managed to cut off our only escape route !"

Han pointed towards the cells. "Maybe you'd like it back in your cell, your Highness !"

Luke quickly reached for his comlink. "C3PO ! C3PO !"

"Yes, sir ?" The protocol droid sounded concerned over the comlink.

"We've been cut off ! Are there any other ways out of the cell bay ? What was that ? I didn't copy !"

"I said, all systems have been alerted to your presence, sir. The main entrance is the only way, in or out. All other information on your level is restricted !" C3PO repeated.

As Stormtroopers kept coming, Han and Chewie were forced to back away in the long and narrow hall between the holding cells. They met up with the three. "There isn't any other way out !" Luke updated the two.

"We can't hold them off forever !" Now what ?" Han managed to shoot a trooper down, right in the helmet.

"This is some rescue ! When you came in here, didn't you have a plan for getting out ?" Leia snapped.

Han pointed at Mina. "She's the brains, sweetheart !"

A Stormtrooper had foolishly set his sights on Leia. Before the blaster bolt could reach her, Mina had ignited one of her lightsabers and deflected the bolt back to the attacker, bringing him down.

Leia looked at her with shock and awe. "How did- Of course, your mother was a Jedi, so she taught you all she knew ! Thanks for saving me !"

"Won't be the last time, Leia ! But now, we need to find a way to lose those bucketheads, otherwise we're as good as dead !" Mina felt the surroundings with her montrals and found a possible exit near Han. "There !" She pointed.

Leia quickly grabbed Luke's blaster and shot at the grate on the floor, nearly shooting Han.

Han calculated how close the bolt passed around him. "What the hell are you doing ?!"

"Somebody has to save our skins ! Into the garbage chute, everyone !" Leia was the first to throw herself down.

"Guess I'm second !" Mina quickly slipped down to meet with her friend, leaving the males together.

Chewbacca roared something about the smell. "Get in there, you big furry oaf ! I don't care what you smell ! Get in there !" Han kicked him down the chute.

Luke and Han keep trying to hold off the Stormtroopers, to no avail. The latter begins to regret getting involved. "Wonderful girl ! Either I'm going to kill her or I'm beginning to like her ! Get in there !"

Luke ducked around the oncoming blaster fire and went down. Han shot a few more bolts before finally diving head first. Once he arrived into the garbage container, he began to feel quite irritated. It was a collection of unusable parts floating in disgusting muck.

"What a wonderful idea ! What an incredible smell you've discovered ! Let's get out of here." Han motioned Chewie to move away from the door. "Get away from there…"

Luke held his hands towards Han. "No, wait !"

The blaster bolt ricocheted around the room, ending right above Chewie's head, whom he roared his displeasure.

"Will you forget it ?! I already tried ! It's magnetically sealed !"

"Put that thing away, you're going to get us all killed !" Leia gave Han a grim look, then turned to Mina. "How did end up with that guy anyways ?"

"I'll tell you later." Mina promised.

Han didn't take the berating kindly. "Absolutely, Your Worship ! Look, I had everything under control until you lead us down here ! You know, it's not going to take them long to figure out what happened to us !"

Leia huddled herself. "It could be worse…"

A strange moan was heard, coming from under the waters.

Han sighed. "It's worse !"

"There's something alive in here !" Luke looked around the floating parts.

Han scoffed at him. "It's your imagination, kid !"

Mina used her montrals to sense the being. "Imagination nothing ! He's right ! We're not alone !"

Luke felt movement from under him. "Something just moved past my leg ! Look ! Did you see that ?"

Han scanned his surroundings. "What ? I'm not seeing anything !"

Mina's montrals gave her the info she needed. "There's only one creature that could be slithering like that in sludge water : A Dianoga. They're carnivorous, so don't let it drag you down underwater. Stay sharp, everyone !"

Moments later, Luke was grabbed by a large, slimy tentacle. "Help !"

"Come on, people ! Let's drag him out of there before he becomes lunch !" Mina searched through the mucky waters for him.

Han joined in, along with Leia. Chewie was too terrified to help out. In an instant, Luke resurfaced, clearly struggling to free himself from the tentacles' grasp.

Leia offered him a long metal pipe for support. "Luke, grab on to this !"

Luke looked up to Han. "Blast it, will you ?! My gun's jammed !"

"Where do I shoot ?" Han didn't want to have the blaster bolt ricochet all over the place again.

"ANYWHERE !" Luke shouted, before being dragged down again.

Han risked shooting in the waters, he must have hit his mark because a groan was heard and it wasn't Chewie. The sound of machinery getting in place stopped everyone. For a few moments, there was nothing but eerie silence.

Suddenly, Luke resurfaced, free of the Dianoga's hold.

"What happened ?" Leia helped him out of the muck.

Luke wiped what filth he could off of him. "I don't know. It just let go of me and disappeared…"

Han swallowed a lump in his throat. "I have a very bad feeling about this."

Mina's montrals sensed incoming movement… from the walls. "What do you expect ?! We're in a garbage masher, of course they'll get rid of us all by flattening us like pancakes !"

Luke knew they were in trouble. "The walls are moving !"

Mina groaned her displeasure. "No kidding, Captain Obvious ! Move away from around the door ! Give me room !" She ignited her lightsabers and plunged them a far bit above the door, trying to cut an opening.

Leia looked around for the largest, sturdiest metal pipe, in an attempt to overload the circuitry controlling the walls. "Don't just stand there, try to brace it with something !"

Mina quickly gave up on her idea of cutting through the door. "The walls are way too thick ! There's no way I can cut an opening in time !"

Any attempt to hold down the walls fail as any and all pipes are snapped in half as the walls apply enough pressure to them.

Suddenly, Luke got an idea. He reached for his comlink. "3PO ! Come in, 3PO ! 3PO ! Where could he be ?!"

In the main computer room, the door finally gets blasted open as 4 Stormtroopers entered, finding C3PO and R2-D2 hiding behind a door.

Once discovered, C3PO had to invent a ruse to avoid them looking suspicious. "They're madmen ! They're heading for the prison level ! If you hurry, you might catch them !"

The lead trooper took two others with him, leaving one in the room. "Follow me ! You stand guard."

C3PO reached for his comlink lying on the empty desk and motioned R2 to move. "Come along." As they were about to exit, the Stormtrooper aimed his blaster at them. "Oh ! All this excitement has overrun the circuits of my counterpart here. If you don't mind, I'd like to take him down to maintenance."

The Stormtrooper saw no issue with his request. "All right." He just stood there as the droids walked and rolled past him.

Back in the garbage room, the walls were inching closer and closer to the Rebels. Both Han and Chewie tried to stall the masher by placing more pipes in between the walls and pushing against it.

Luke once again tried to contact him. "3PO ! Come in, 3PO ! 3PO !"

Leia and Mina tried to climb to the top, but their attempts left them sinking in the muck.

Luke was becoming more and more concerned for his life and the others. "Where could he be ?! 3PO ! 3PO, will you come in ?!"

The two droids managed to reach the hangar bay where the Millennium Falcon stood. They hid around a service panel, out of sight from Imperials. The protocol droid turned to the astromech. "They aren't here ! Something must have happened to them ! See if they've been captured ! Quickly !"

R2 searched into the network and beeped a reply. C3PO seemed relieved. "Thank Goodness they haven't found them. Where could they be ?"

R2 pointed at the comlink. "Use the comlink ? Oh, my ! I forgot I turned it off !"

Back at the garbage room, everyone was running out of room and the muck was rising steadily, threatening to drown them.

Luke was about to give up when he felt his comlink buzz. "Are you there, sir ?"

Luke quickly yanked out the comlink from his belt. "3PO !"

"We've had some problems…" C3PO began.

The Rebels' problems were worse, much worse. "Will you shut up and listen to me ?! Shut down all the garbage mashers in the detention level, will you ? Do you copy ?! Shut down all the garbage mashers in the detention level ! SHUT DOWN ALL THE GARBAGE MASHERS IN THE DETENTION LEVEL !"

C3PO turned to R2. "No, shut them all down ! Hurry !"

Acting quickly, R2 managed to save everyone in the nick of time. The screaming and hollering could be heard from the comlink.

C3PO mistook it as cries of pain. "Listen to them ! They're dying, R2 ! Curse my metal body, I wasn't fast enough ! It's all my fault ! My poor Master…"

"We're all right ! You did great !" Came the response from the comlink, surprising C3PO.

Han, Leia, Mina and Chewie were all embracing each other around the door.

Mina wiped the sweat off her brow. "You know… for a moment there, I was sure I was about to become one with the Force. Glad that I've still got some life to live !"

Leia agreed with her friend. "Once we're out of here, I can continue my father's work to defeat the Empire. I know a place where they won't find us. General Dodonna will have technicians that can extract the information from the R2 unit."

"We still have to wait for Master Kenobi to shut down the tractor beam before we can even think of escaping. Recalling my mother's tales with him during the Clone Wars, it ought to be a cinch for him." Mina had absolute faith in Obi-Wan's abilities.

Luke met with the others, by the door, he looked for some numbers. "Hey, can you open the pressure maintenance hatch on unit number…" He looked to Han. "Where are we ?"

Han looked up the code. "326827."

 **Tractor Beam Location**

Obi-Wan finally came upon the controls for the tractor beam. Having sneaked past countless Stormtroopers, he found the switches and turned one down, effectively compromising the use of the beam. He sneaked once again right behind some Stormtrooper's backs, completely oblivious of what he just did.

 **Outside the Garbage Masher**

Once everyone was out, Han and Luke removed their Stormtrooper outfits and put on their blaster belts. "If we can avoid any more female advice, we ought to be able to get out of here." Han muttered.

Mina cleared her throat loudly. "You _really_ underestimate the opposite sex, Han. One of these days, you'll thank us for saving your skin for the umpteenth time !"

Chewie growled as he noticed the Dianoga's tentacles trying to slither out of the doorway.

Han aimed his blaster. "That _thing_ is still alive ?! Not for long !"

Luke felt it was better to leave it there. "No, wait ! They'll hear !"

The blast echoed through the hallway. Chewie ran off in the opposite direction they were going.

Han called out to him. "Come here, you big coward ! Chewie, come here !"

Leia walked up to Han, looking up to him. "Listen, I don't know who you are, or where you came from… But from now on, you do as I tell you, ok ?"

Han couldn't believe his ears. "Look, Your Worshipfulness, let's get one thing straight ! I take orders from only one person ! ME !"

Leia rolled her eyes. "It's a wonder you're still alive !" She tried to walk past Chewie. "Will somebody get this big walking carpet out of my way ?!"

Mina was clearly amused by Chewie's new definition. "Oh, don't hate on Chewie, Leia. He's just a big, fluffy Teddy Bear ! Once you get to know him, you want to pet him, hug him and name him George !" Mina blinked for a moment. "Forget that last bit, will you ?"

Leia couldn't help but laugh a bit at Mina's comment, then she glared angrily back at Han.

Han was becoming irritated at Leia's commanding nature. "No reward is worth this !"

As Leia and Mina took off from the boys, she glanced at Han over her shoulder. "Once we get our credits, you'll stop whining, right ?"

Han was at a loss for words. "…"

Moments later, they could see the Millennium Falcon from a floor above. "There she is." Han pointed out.

Luke took out his comlink. "C3PO, do you copy ?"

"For the moment. We're in the main hangar from across the ship."

"We're right above you, stand by." Luke stashed his comlink back in his pocket, looking out to the window as many Stormtroopers enter and exit the Millennium Falcon.

Leia quickly gazed at the beat-up freighter. "You came in that thing ? You're braver than I thought !"

Han gladly took the compliment. "Nice ! Come on !" He guided the group through the hallway down… only to meet with a squad of Stormtroopers.

They quickly activated their blasters. "There they are ! Blast them !"

Han decided to have a little fun with them. He turned to Luke and Leia. "You two get to the ship, we'll hold them off !"

Han, Chewie and Mina ran after the squad, leaving the two alone. "Where are you guys going ? Come back !" Luke's request was left on deaf ears as the trio were long gone.

"He certainly has courage." Leia seemed to admire Han for that quality.

Luke worried for them. "What good will it do to us if they get themselves killed ?"

"Mina's with them, so they'll be fine. From what I recall about what my father told me of Mina's mother, she's going to do everything in her power to protect them, just like Ahsoka used to do in the Clone Wars. We better get moving !" Leia urged Luke down the path to the hangar.

Han tried to scare off the Stormtroopers by screaming like a fool. It worked until they reached a dead end and they turned around to shoot at the trio. Mina quickly ignited her lightsabers and deflected a majority of the blaster bolts back at the Stormtroopers, killing a few. Han managed to shoot down a few himself as well.

"It's a Jedi ! Shoot her ! Shoot her !" All their attempts to shoot Mina were in vain, she was just too quick to deflect the oncoming blaster bolts.

Instants later, the entire squad was down for the count. Mina extinguished her lightsabers. "Whew ! Looks like we're in the clear !"

Luke and Leia had issues of their own, while running from the Stormtroopers, they passed through a door which had a narrow bridge extending over a shaft that seemed to go on indefinitely. Only, the middle portion of the bridge was removed. Before both fell to their deaths, Luke grabbed hold of Leia and leaned against the door. "I think we took a wrong turn."

They could hear the running from the Stormtroopers nearby. Luke blasted the control panel to lock the door. "That ought to hold them for a while !"

Leia pointed to the other end. "Quick, we've got to get across ! Find the control panel that extends the bridge."

Luke looked over the controls he just shot. "Oh, I think I just blasted it !"

Leia face-palmed. "Wonderful ! So now, how do we get out ?"

But their problems only worsened once several Stormtroopers shot at them from a ledge above at the other end. Being cramped by the door, they would soon be sitting ducks. Leia took hold of Luke's blaster and managed to shoot the Stormtroopers above, causing one to fall to his death into the abyss.

Leia noticed the door began to open slightly. "They're coming through !"

Luke searched in his utility belt and found a cable he could use to create a rope to cross over be swinging over the chasm. He managed to have it caught in a convenient spot, securing the line. Luke grabbed and held Leia in his free arm. "Here we go !"

Leia quickly kissed him on the cheek. "For luck !"

Just as the door finally opened, Luke and Leia swung over the chasm to the other end, to safety and freedom. Thanks to the Stormtroopers' terrible aim, they avoided all the bolts as they ran off.

Through distant hallways, Obi-Wan snaked again around the oncoming Stormtroopers, avoiding detection. For all his talent at slipping around the enemy, he wouldn't avoid a confrontation with Darth Vader.

Elsewhere, Han, Chewie and Mina were running from a battalion of Stormtroopers, as they were about to pass a blast door, Han shot at the control panel to have it close behind them.

The Stormtroopers soon lost sight of their quarry. "Open the blast door ! Open the blast door !"

At the main hangar by the Millennium Falcon, C3PO looked as Imperials kept coming and going around the ship. "Where could they be ?"

R2 plugged into the network and beeped a reply, tracking their movement through the station.

Obi-Wan was almost at the main hangar to meet with the rest, but the inevitable occurred. Darth Vader stood from a distance, his red lightsaber ignited. "I've been waiting for you, Obi-Wan. We meet again, at last. The circle is now complete."

Obi-Wan ignited his lightsaber and slowly approached Vader. "Look at what you've become. You're now but a shell of whom you used to be. How could you let yourself be tainted ?"

Vader ignored his comment, approaching for the final duel. "When I left you, I was but your pupil, but now, I am the Master."

"Only a Master of Evil, Darth." Obi-Wan braced himself to parry the oncoming strike.

As they both struck and parried repeatedly, Obi-Wan let out some frustrations. "I've heard that you faced Ahsoka on Malachor. How could you even think of killing her ?! Fortunately, she's a survivor. If she gave you a struggle, do you really think you could kill me so easily ?"

"You underestimate the Power of the Dark Side ! Once I've dealt with you, I will scour the Galaxy for her. She will be the last link to sever." Vader began to deal more powerful blows.

Vader was getting the advantage over Obi-Wan. "Your powers are weak, old man."

Obi-Wan became less and less incline to hold Vader back. "You can't win, Darth. If you strike me down, I shall become even more powerful than you could possibly imagine !"

Inside the main hangar, Han, Chewie and Mina arrived as a group of Stormtroopers were running towards Vader and Obi-Wan. "Didn't we just leave this party ?"

Mina was relieved once she noticed Luke and Leia nearby. "We'll be able to head out soon. We're only missing the droids and Master Kenobi. Will it kill you to wait a minute or two more ?"

Han ignored Mina's barb and looked over to the two. "What kept you ?"

"We ran into some old friends." Leia explained.

Luke looked over the Falcon. "Is the ship all right ?"

Han took a quick look for himself. "Seems ok, if we can get to it. Just hope the old man got the tractor beam out of commission."

Luke noticed the distant battle. "Look !"

Mina gasped at the sight. "Master Kenobi ! It looks like he's on the losing end ! We have to help him !"

Before Mina and Luke moved forward, Han grabbed both by their arms. "You two are not going over there ! We're so close to getting out, let's not get more problems, ok ?"

The last of the Stormtroopers ran towards the duel, allowing C3PO and R2-D2 to join with the rest. "Come along, R2."

While the Stormtroopers were distracted, Han made a dash for the ship. "Now's our chance ! Let's go !"

Obi-Wan let himself momentarily distracted when he noticed Stormtroopers coming to assist Vader. He realized at this point that his life would end here. Vader took advantage of his distraction and cleaved him in two.

Luke and Mina couldn't believe what they just witnessed. "NO !"

The cry got the attention of the Stormtroopers and began to fire at the Rebels. Vader was stumped that a body was not present as he moved the robes around with his boots. Luke began to fire away at the Imperials, taking a few down. Before Vader could reach them, he blasted the controls of the blast door, causing it to shut down just as Vader was coming towards them.

Luke heard Obi-Wan's disembodied voice in his head. "Run, Luke ! Run !"

As everyone climbed into the ship, Mina, Han and Chewie raced to the cockpit. "I hope the old man got the tractor beam out of commission or this is going to be a real short trip. Ok, Mina, hit it !"

Mina quickly engaged the piloting systems and they flew out of the hangar in haste.

At the Dejarik table, Luke mourned his temporary mentor's fate. "I can't believe that he's gone." R2 beeped mournfully in response.

Leia wrapped a blanket around him. "There was nothing that you could've done."

Mina came up and sat besides Luke, offering a hug. "I'm shocked about it as you are. You're going to be fine. You'll get over it… with time."

"Who will teach me the ways of the Force now ?" Luke wondered.

Mina pointed to herself. "I will. The basics, at least. It's not my place to train you fully, but I can get you started on the path."

 **The crew have rescued Leia. Mina volunteers to train Luke the basics. The next chapter will wrap up A New Hope. Please review.**


	5. The Rebel Alliance earns a Victory !

**Aboard the Millennium Falcon**

In the cockpit, the radar warned of incoming Tie-Fighters. Han got up to get some needed assistance. Around the Dejarik table, Luke was sitting with Leia and Mina by his side. The sudden death of the Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi was hard to take.

"Come on, kid ! We're not out of this yet ! I need you to man the second gun while I take the first. Mina, go and give Chewie a hand with the piloting, will ya ?"

As Mina and Leia ran to the cockpit, Han and Luke installed themselves in their respective gunports, ready to defend the ship against the chasing Imperials.

Once Han was hooked up, he called out to Luke below. "You in, kid ? Okay, stay sharp !"

Mina's voice rang over the intercom. "4 Tie-Fighters are closing in ! Get ready to blast them to smithereens, boys !"

The radar beeped incessantly as the Tie-Fighters circled the ship. Both men would have their hands full.

The Tie-Fighters blasted at various points in the ship's hull, causing a temporary blackout in the room where C3PO and R2-D2 waited.

"They're coming in too fast !" Luke tried his best to keep his eye on a passing Tie-Fighter.

"Cut the whining, more shooting, please !" Came Mina's reply over the intercom.

In the cockpit, Leia looked over the information coming from Mina and Chewie's computers. She took to the intercom. "We've lost lateral controls !"

Mina quickly took the microphone from Leia. "Eventually, we'll lose our deflector shield if this keeps up !"

Han was quick to reply. "Don't worry ladies, she'll hold together !"

A stray bolt from a Tie-Fighter caused one of the control panels to fry. R2 was quick to douse the smoke and sparks of electricity with fire retardant.

"Hear me, baby ? Hold together." Han muttered to his ship.

Finally, Han managed to take out the first of 4 Tie-Fighters. "Aha ! Gotcha !"

Mina's voice rang through the intercom. "I'd go down and give you a pat on the back, Han, but I've got my hands full trying to avoid the majority of enemy fire !"

A Tie-Fighter flew right in front of Luke's guns. He quickly shot at it and it exploded instantly. "I got him ! I got him !"

"Nice, Luke ! Do you want an award for that ?" Mina's snark caused Luke to snort a laugh.

Han offered Luke his own words of encouragement. "Great, kid ! Don't get cocky !"

Leia took the microphone from Mina. "Two down, two to go, boys ! Make it count !"

Several minutes later Luke blasted the 3rd Tie-Fighter while Han dealt with the 4th.

Luke removed his targeting headset and wiped the sweat from his brow. "That's it ! We did it !"

In the cockpit, Mina, Leia and Chewie all gave themselves congratulatory hugs.

C3PO, on his end, was knocked down during the skirmish and got entangled in smoking wires. "Help ! I think I'm melting ! This is all your fault !" He whined looking at R2.

Mina once again took over the microphone. "Fancy shooting, boys ! Looks like we're in the clear. Hang on to your shorts, everyone, I'm entering hyperspace like… _Now_!" Flicking a switch, the Millennium Falcon sped off to safety and set its new course to Yavin IV.

 **Main Control Room, Death Star**

Tarkin stood near Vader, noticing the latter was caught up with his tracker. "Are they away ?"

"They have just made the jump to hyperspace." Vader confirmed.

Tarkin, slightly nervous, bit his nails. "You're sure the homing beacon is secured aboard their ship ? I'm taking an awful risk, Vader. This had better work !"

 **Aboard the Millennium Falcon through hyperspace**

As Mina and Chewie left off to survey the damage on the ship, Leia sat alone for a second, until Han sat next to her. "Not a bad bit of rescuing, huh ? You know, sometimes I amaze even myself." He gloated.

Mina's voice rang through the hallway. "Oh, sure ! Take all the credit ! We don't mind, don't we, Chewie ?" Chewie growled audibly, causing Han to roll his eyes at the two.

Leia titled towards Han. "That doesn't seem too hard. They let us go. It's the only explanation for our ease of escape."

Han looked shocked. "Easy ?! You call that easy ?"

Leia shook her head, sighing. "They're tracking us."

Han crossed his arms. "Not this ship, sister."

Leia quickly changed the subject to something slightly more pleasant. "At least the information in R2 is still intact."

Han's curiosity had to be sated. "What's so important ? What's he carrying ?"

"The technical readouts of that battle station. I only hope that once the data is analyzed, a weakness can be found. It's not over yet."

Han quickly made his stance about Leia's Rebellion. "It is for me, sister ! Look, I'm not in it for your revolution and I'm not in it for you, Princess ! I expect to be well paid. I'm in it for the money !"

"That could've come out nicer, don't you think ?!" Mina's witty retort rang from the halls again.

"You stay out of this, Snips !" Han shouted through the door.

Leia, while angry about Han's refusal to help them out, kept control of her temper. "You needn't worry about your reward. If money is all that you love, then that's what you'll receive."

As she walked out of the cockpit, Luke walked in. "Your friend is quite a mercenary ! I wonder if he really cares about anything… or anyone."

Luke was absolutely stumped on how to respond to Leia's comment. "I care !"

Where Leia once sat, Luke went ahead and made himself comfortable. "So… what do you think of her, Han ?"

Han distracted himself by checking the travel logs. "I'm trying not to, kid."

"Good." Luke muttered under his breath. " _Maybe I have a chance with her…_ "

Once Han rechecked his course, he turned to the younger man. "Still, she's got a lot of spirit. I don't know, what do you think ? Do you think a Princess and a guy like me…"

"No !" Luke quickly cut him off, earning a chuckle from Han.

Once Mina was done with the repairs she noticed Leia sitting by the Dejarik table. "Did Han kick you out of the cockpit or something ?"

Leia motioned to Mina to sit with her. "No, we just had an argument. He seems to care more about money than helping us out. Why don't you come and sit with me ? I could use a friend right about now."

Mina sat next to her. "Well, I know he's pretty stressed because he owes a lot of credits to Jabba the Hutt."

Leia did a double-take. "W-WHAT ?! He deals with the Hutts ? Why ?!"

"He's a smuggler first and foremost. While he does some shady business, he did help to provide supplies for the Rebellion several years back." Mina explained.

Leia couldn't think of any good reason why Mina was part of this crew. "How did you end up with him anyway ?"

Mina stood up to grab herself a cup of caf, bringing one for Leia. "Well, he knew my father when he agreed to smuggle weapons into Imperial territories for the Rebellion. Following the Battle of Scarif, my father commed him to meet us on an abandoned fuel station on the near-deserted planet of Orondia. He pretty much "dumped" me to Han, thinking I would safer with him than I'd be with the Rebellion."

Leia took a sip of her caf. "I understand his thinking, Mina. With you on a smuggler's ship, you're a much less likely target of the Empire. Once we arrive at Yavin IV, what will you do ?"

Mina scratched her montrals, relieving herself of a bothersome itch. "For one, I'm not just going to take the money and go with Han. Knowing what the Death Star is capable of, I'll have a word with General Dodonna and see if I can join in the fight against the Empire."

Leia was ecstatic. "You're going to help us out ? Really ?!" But her joy soon turned to worry. "But what if something happens to you ? Your parents would be devastated !"

Mina hugged her friend. "Don't you worry about me. Thanks to Han's "flying lessons", I think I'll be a particularly difficult target for even the best of Imperial Tie-Fighter pilots. Besides, I need to keep an eye on Luke. Once this is over, I'll begin to show Luke some basic skills with the Force."

"You're absolutely sure that we'll emerge victorious ?" Leia asked.

"Let's say that I have a pretty good feeling, Leia. Of course, I do expect some casualties during the upcoming battle, but my heart tells me that Luke and I will be all right in the end. I have to trust my hunches." Mina finished up her cup of caf before rejoining Han at the cockpit.

 **Secret Rebel Base, Yavin IV**

The Millennium Falcon landed near some old temples deep into a dense jungle. When everyone stepped out, a man by the name of Willard, whom was the leader of the current Rebel forces, greeted them. He quickly hugged Leia. "You're safe ! We feared the worst. When we heard about Alderaan, we were afraid that you were… lost along with your father."

Once Willard released his hold over Leia, they walked side by side. "We don't have time for sorrows, Commander. The battle station has surely tracked us here. It's the only explanation for the ease of our escape. You must use the information in this R2 unit and plan an attack. It is our only hope."

"We'll get on that right away !" Willard motioned to several technicians to take R2-D2 to a specific room where they would download the data and find out the weakness.

 **Main Control Room, Death Star**

Tarkin and Vader were busy discussing their tactics to finish off the Rebels. They were interrupted when Tarkin's comlink buzzed, prompting him to answer. "Yes ?"

A technician's voice rang through the comm. "We are approaching the planet Yavin. The Rebel Base is on a moon on the far side. We are preparing to orbit the planet."

 **War Briefing Room, Yavin IV**

Once the data from R2 was analyzed, it was passed to General Dodonna. A number of Rebel pilots and R2 units listened to Dodonna's attack plan while Han, Mina and Chewie stood at the back. "The battle station is heavily shielded and carries a firepower greater than half the star fleet. Its defenses are designed around a large-scale direct assault. A small one-man fighter should be able to penetrate the outer defenses."

A pilot codenamed Gold Leader cleared his throat and raised his hand. "Pardon me for asking, General, but what good are our fighters going to be against that ?"

Dodonna took Gold Leader's concerns into consideration. "Well, the Empire doesn't consider a small one-man fighter to be any threat, or they'd have a tighter defense. An analysis of the data provided by Princess Leia has demonstrated a weakness in the battle station."

Mina recalled what she was told about the Death Star's origins. " _So Galen Erso_ _ **did**_ _purposefully place a weak spot so it could eventually be destroyed. Hopefully it won't be too difficult to accomplish._ "

A monitor showed a diagram of their flight path, which allowed Dodonna visual aid. "The approach will not be easy. You are required to maneuver straight down this trench and skim the surface to this point. The target area is only 2 meters wide. It's a small exhaust port, right below the main port. The shaft leads directly to the reactor system. A precise hit will start a chain reaction which should destroy the station. Only a precise hit will set up a chain reaction. The shaft is ray-shielded, so you'll have to use Proton Torpedoes."

Sitting next to Luke, was Wedge Antilles, whom seem doubtful of their odds. "That's impossible, even for a computer !"

Luke turned to him. "It's not impossible. I used to bull's-eye Womp Rats in my T-16 back home and they're not much bigger than 2 meters."

Dodonna concluded his presentation. "Man your ships ! And may the Force be with you !"

As the Rebel pilots walked off, Mina approached General Dodonna. "Sir, may I have a moment ?"

Dodonna didn't refuse her time. "Of course, young lady. What can I do for you ?"

"My name is Mina Bonteri. I'm the daughter of the former Imperial Senator of Onderon, Lux Bonteri. As you surely know, my father has actively taken part to shape the Rebellion with Senator Organa and my mother, Ahsoka Tano. I'd like to be part of this mission… if you'll allow it, General."

Dodonna took a step back, clearly shocked. "The daughter of Senator Bonteri ?! Incredible ! I didn't even know he was married and had a child. Your mother helped a great deal to amass the forces until Senator Mothma became the head of High Command. I would wager you have the Force in you, child ? Your help is greatly appreciated. Head out to the hangar, I'm sure there is an unmanned fighter that you can pilot. Thank you so much for getting involved in our struggle !"

As she went off to the hangar, Han walked over to her. "I thought you were supposed to stick with me ? Your father ordered it."

"Dad's not here right now, and I do believe I'm old enough to make my own decisions ! I don't need a "baby-sitter" over my shoulder all the time. I guess this is where our paths end… for now. Don't worry, I'm sure we'll encounter each other again at some point in the future." Mina quickly replied.

Han shrugged his shoulders. "Ok, missy. If that's what you want to do, I won't hold you back. You want to get yourself killed ? Then be my guest !"

Mina was irritated by his lack of faith. "Will you stop doubting our struggle ?! We're all in this, whether you like it or not !" She ran off to change into the designated pilot jumpsuits.

Han sighed deeply. "Take care of yourself, kid. Stay safe, huh ?" He muttered under his breath.

 **Hangar**

When Han and Chewie arrived by their ship, a load of credits awaited them. As Han began to load them into the Falcon, Luke ran over to him, now decked in a Rebel pilot jumpsuit. "So… you got your reward and you're just leaving then ?"

Han nodded. "That's right, yeah ! I got some old debts I gotta pay off with this stuff. Even if I didn't, you don't think I'd be foolish enough to stick around here, do you ? Why don't come with us ? Since Mina's out, I'll need an additional pilot/mechanic. You're pretty good in a fight. We could use you."

Luke tried to plead with him. "Come on ! Why don't you take a look around ? You know what's about to happen, what they're up against. They could use a good pilot like you. You're turning your back on them ! Take Mina's example, for Force's sake !"

Han shook his head. "What's good a reward if you ain't around to use it ? Besides, attacking that battle station ain't my idea of courage. More like suicide !"

Luke gave up to rally the smuggler to their cause. "All right. Well take care of yourself, Han. I guess that's what you're best at, ain't it ?" He walked over to his designated X-Wing.

Han called out to him. "Hey, Luke ! May the Force with you !"

Luke shook his head in disbelief. Chewie growled his concerns. Han motioned to the Falcon's boarding ramp. "What are you looking at ? I know what I'm doing ! Give me a hand here, huh ?"

Luke stopped by his X-Wing, noticing Leia and General Dodonna talking. Leia noticed something was bothering him. "What's wrong ?"

Luke sighed deeply. "Oh, it's Han ! I don't know, I really thought he'd change his mind."

Leia embraced him. "He's got to follow his own path. No one can choose it for him."

"I only wish Ben were here." He tried to forget the bad memories.

Someone grabbed him by the arm. A long-time friend named Biggs Darklighter. "Luke ?! I don't believe it ! How'd you get here ? Are you coming with us ?"

Luke was immediately cheered up by his presence. "Biggs ! Of course, I'll be up there with you ! Listen, have I got some stories to tell…"

Mina broke up their camaraderie when she showed up in her new jumpsuit. "How do I look ?"

Biggs couldn't help but whistle at her. "Hello Beautiful ! Are you coming with us too ?"

Mina rolled her eyes. "No, I was in need of a change of clothes. What do you think ? Luke, are you going to introduce me to your friend ?"

Luke nervously laughed. "Biggs, this is Mina Bonteri. Her parents knew my father quite well. She is an amazing pilot !"

All three were caught off-guard when the Commander of the operation, codenamed Red Leader, came from behind. "Are you Luke Skywalker ? Have you checked out on the Incom T-65 ?"

Biggs boasted Luke's skills. "Sir, Luke is the best bushpilot in the Outer Rim territories."

Red Leader placed a comforting hand on Luke's shoulder. "I met your father once when I was just a boy, he was a great pilot. You'll do all right. If you have half of your father's skill, you'll do better than all right."

Luke smiled in response for the praise. "Thank you, sir. I'll try."

Red Leader turned his attention to Mina. "You're Mina Bonteri, no doubt about that. Since your montrals don't allow you to wear a helmet, just place this headseat around your lekku." He offered her the piece of equipment.

Mina wrapped it around her headtails. "Ok, let's see here. Testing, 1, 2, 3. Testing." She tapped on the receiver. "Seems to be in working order, sir."

"Perfect ! Get in your X-Wing. We'll be departing shortly." Red Leader headed off to his X-Wing.

Biggs left off to his own ship. "I've got to get aboard. Listen, you'll tell me your stories when we come back, all right ?"

Luke waved his friend goodbye. "I told you I'd make it someday, Biggs."

Biggs looked over his shoulder. "You did, all right. It's going to be like old times, Luke. We're a couple of shooting stars that'll never be stopped !"

As Luke climbed into his ship, a technician was placing R2 in the socket behind the cockpit. "This R2 unit of yours seems a bit beat up. Do you want a new one ?"

Luke shook his head. "Not on your life ! That little droid and I have been through a lot together." He looked up to the astromech. "You ok, R2 ?"

R2 beeped a response indicating he was fine.

It was almost time for takeoff and C3PO arrived in time to bid his companion farewell. "Hang on tight, R2. You've got to come back." R2 replied with a series of beeps. "You wouldn't want my life to get boring, would you ?"

As the ship was taking off, R2 whistled a reply to the protocol droid.

All the X-Wings and Bombers begin to take off one after another. While beginning his flight, Luke heard Obi-Wan's disembodied voice in his head. "Luke, the Force will be with you." He tapped his helmet, thinking it was malfunctioning.

 **Control Room**

General Dodonna, Princess Leia and Willard were all looking at a large screen showing the Death Star coming closer and closer. A voice from a technician rang out on the intercom. "Stand-by alert. Death Star approaching. Estimated time for firing range, 15 minutes."

 **In space, towards the Death Star**

As the ships had the battle station in their sights, Red Leader wanted a head count. "All wings, report in."

Mina was the first. "Red 12, standing by."

Another woman called in. "Red 10, standing by."

One of the men identified himself. "Red 7, standing by."

Biggs followed the others. "Red 3, standing by."

One called Porkins came up. "Red 6, standing by."

Another man called in. "Red 9, standing by."

Wedge was next. "Red 2, standing by."

The last of the men aside Luke followed through protocol. "Red 11, standing by."

Finally, Luke was the last to report. "Red 5, standing by."

Red Leader arranged for the ships to be in a particular formation. "Lock S-foils in attack position."

They began to accelerate towards their intended target. "We're passing through their magnetic field. Hold tight ! Switch your deflectors on. Double front !"

Wedge couldn't believe how large it was. "Look at the size of that thing !"

Red Leader wanted everyone to stay focused. "Cut the chatter, Red 2 ! Accelerate to attack speed ! This is it, boys and girls."

As all ships entered the trench, assault towers were activated and began to shoot in all directions. Unfortunately for Porkins, a bolt hit his ship, causing him to explode moments later.

As the rest of Red Squadron began to shoot back at the assault towers, it caused trembling from within the Death Star's halls. Imperial officers, technicians and Stormtroopers rushed left and right. Amidst all this chaos, Darth Vader was making his way to a hangar until an officer stopped by him. "We count about 10 Rebel ships, Lord Vader. But since they're so small, they're evading our Turbo-Lasers."

Vader knew he had to get involved at this point. "We'll have to destroy them from ship to ship." Two Tie pilots showed up before Vader. "You two, come with me !"

Back at the trench, Red Squadron was getting closer and closer to their designated point. Mina knew something was off when the assault towers suddenly stopped shooting. "Something's up, everyone ! Perhaps we'll have worse to deal with than those towers !"

Red Leader got a message from the Control Room at Rebel Base. "Red Leader, we've picked up a new group of signals. Enemy fighters coming your way."

Luke checked his radar. "My scope's negative ! I don't see anything !"

Red Leader urged caution for all the rest. "Keep up your visual scanning. With all this jamming, it'll be difficult to see them. They'll be on top of us before our scopes pick them up !"

2 Tie-Fighters flanked a modified Tie-Fighter. All 3 quickly worked together to blast the majority of the ships, leaving only Red Leader, Luke, Wedge, Biggs and Mina still alive.

Mina groaned as she swerved to avoid enemy fire. "You know, trying to avoid their fire in this tight a spot is practically impossible."

Luke had his own issues as a bolt hit the back of his ship. "I'm hit, but nothing serious." He turned to R2. "R2, see what you can do with it. Hang on, back there !"

R2 beeped a reply and began to repair the damage.

Red Leader rushed towards the exhaust point. "The exhaust port is marked and locked in !" He switched his targeting computer on, getting ready for the major shot.

Vader rushed forward, inching closer to the rest of Red Squadron. "I'll take them myself ! Cover me !"

"Yes sir !" Both Tie pilots flew in front of Vader.

Red Leader was getting closer and closer. "Almost there…"

Biggs had good reasons to panic. "Sir, we need to break off formation. We'll be all shot down before we reach our goal !"

"Stay on target ! Almost there…" Red Leader finally reached his destination. He fired the Proton Torpedoes. "And it's away !"

The blast caused some damage, killing a Stormtrooper whom was too close to the walls. In the Main Control Room, an officer walked up to Tarkin. "We've analyzed their attack, sir. There is a danger. Should I have your ship standing by ?"

Tarkin refused his suggestion. "Evacuate ? In our moment of triumph ? I think you overestimate their chances !"

Back at the surface of the Death Star, Red Leader had to report a miss. "It's didn't go in ! It just impacted on the surface !"

"Which means, we'll have to try again !" Luke grumbled.

Before they could begin their attack run a second time, Vader managed to shoot down Red Leader, sending him crashing and burning to the surface of the station.

 **Control Room, Rebel Base**

Following Red Leader's death, the room heightened with anxiety and fear. General Dodonna sighed and shook his head. "We were foolish to think we could pull this off. Only 4 fighters out of 12 remain. Those aren't very good odds."

Leia paced nervously around the screen. "Who is left ?"

Dodonna quickly looked up on a datapad. "Wedge Antilles, Biggs Darklighter, Luke Skywalker and Mina Bonteri. For now, we will consider these 4 our best pilots and our last desperate hope to destroy that station. Less than a minute before we're in firing range."

 **Death Star surface**

Luke took charge of the 2nd run. "Biggs, Wedge, Mina, let's close it up. We're going in ! We're going in full throttle !"

Wedge quickly followed Luke's lead. "Right with you, boss !"

As they rushed through the trench, Vader and his Tie pilots were hot on their trail while the assault towers aimed specifically at the Rebels.

Biggs had doubts for Luke's attempt. "Luke, at the speed you're going, will you be able to pull out in time ?"

"It'll be just like Beggar's Canyon back home ! Don't you worry about me !" Luke shot back.

Wedge was concerned with his radar. "My scope shows the tower, but I can't see the exhaust port ! Are you sure the computer can hit it ?"

"Watch yourselves ! Increase speed full throttle !" Luke dodged the blasts by the assault towers.

Wedge looked around for the Tie-Fighters. "What about the tower ?"

Luke couldn't lose focus now. "You worry about those fighters, I'll worry about the tower !"

One of the bolts hit too close to the engine on Luke's ship. He had to ask for maintenance again. "R2, that stabilizer is broken loose again ! See if you can lock it down, ok ?"

R2 beeped a reply, getting more and more agitated as lasers were going all over the place.

One of Vader's wingmen managed to hit Wedge's shields, leaving him vulnerable.

Wedge knew it was time for him to move out. "I'm hit ! I can't stay with you guys !"

Luke let him go. "Get clear, Wedge ! You can't do any more good back there !"

As Wedge exited the Death Star's surface towards space, he could have been pursued by Vader and his men, but he had reason to stick with Luke. "Let him go ! Stay on the leader !"

While Luke was getting closer and closer to his spot, Biggs had reason to worry. "Hurry, Luke ! They're coming in much faster this time ! I can't hold them !"

Luke tried his best to calm his long-time friend down. "We're almost there, Biggs ! Hang in there !"

Vader set his targeting computer on Bigg's ship. In a fraction of a second, Biggs Darklighter was no more. Luke was momentarily stunned by his death. He could have given it all up and turned around to face Vader and his men, if Mina didn't knock a bit of sense into him.

"Ok… Ok… I know this is a shock, Luke. But please, keep going ! Biggs and the rest of Red Squadron would want us to finish what they started ! Don't give up !"

Vader picked up speed. "I'm on the leader."

As Luke swerved around what little room he had dodge the bolts coming at all directions, he heard Obi-Wan's voice in his head again.

"Use the Force, Luke. Let go, Luke !"

Vader noted something unusual about them. "The Force is strong with these two !"

Luke made a fateful decision, he chose to withdraw the targeting computer and use his eyes instead.

 **Control Room, Rebel Base**

Willard knew something was up. "His computer's off. Luke, you switched off your targeting computer. What's wrong ?"

"Nothing. I'm all right !" Luke's voice rang through the intercom.

 **Death Star surface**

As much as Luke evaded the majority of Vader's blasts, one of them connected with R2, completely frying him. "I've lost R2 !"

Mina flew to his side. "We can fix him later ! Focus on the moment, Luke ! _Now_ is important ! We're almost there ! Just a bit more !"

In the Death Star's main control room, Tarkin noticed he could finally deal the blow. "You may fire when ready."

"Commence primary ignition." A technician's voice rang on the intercom.

Luke and Mina were almost at the exhaust port with Vader catching up to them. He readied his lasers on Luke's damaged ship. "I have you now !"

Before Vader could press the release button, he was distracted when a blast from nowhere obliterated his wingmen flanking him. He couldn't believe he was about to lose. "What ?!"

The Millennium Falcon sped towards Vader's ship, sending him spinning out of control away from the Death Star and into deep space.

Han felt glad he chose to turn back. "Yahoo ! You're all clear, kids ! Now, let's blow this thing and go home !"

Luke looked over to Mina. "Who takes the shot ?"

Mina didn't waste time to answer. "The shot is yours, Luke ! For Biggs ! For Red Squadron ! For the Rebel Alliance !"

Luke released the Photon Torpedoes into the exhaust port just in time and quickly backed out towards space with Mina, Han and Wedge nearby.

Just as the Death Star's super-laser was about to unleash certain doom on the Rebels, it instead exploded into a billion pieces, taking Tarkin along with it.

Han cheered for Luke. "Great shot, kid ! That was one in a million !"

As they were heading towards Yavin IV, Luke heard Obi-Wan's voice one last time. "Remember, the Force will be with you… always."

After a while, Vader finally regained control of his modified Tie-Fighter and rushed off in space… most likely to the Imperial Headquarters on Coruscant.

 **Rebel Base, Yavin IV**

Once Luke, Mina and Wedge landed, everyone rushed towards them, cheering for the heroes of the day.

Leia couldn't hide her excitement. "Luke ! Luke ! Luke !" She literally jumped into his arms, hugging him tightly.

Han quickly ran out of the Falcon towards Luke and company. "Hey ! Hey !"

Luke was overjoyed to see the smuggler. "I knew you'd come back ! I just knew it !"

Han scoffed at him. "Well, I wasn't gonna let you take all the credit and take all the reward !"

Even Leia was happy to see him again. "Hey, I knew there was more to you than money. Thank you for saving him and the others."

Luke remained very humble. "I have to thank you all for your help… but I owe this victory not only to Han… but to Mina here as well. If it weren't for her to keep me focused on the task at hand, you would likely have all perished."

Mina's lekku darkened greatly. "You're welcome, Luke. Besides, I had to keep an eye on you. Who will teach you the basics of the Force, if not me ?"

Leia hugged her long-time friend. "Thanks for keeping Luke in line, Mina. Your parents ought to be real proud of you !"

"Oh, there hasn't been a time they haven't been proud of me, Leia. I'm just doing what Mom would do in my place."

Suddenly, Luke looked around the cockpit, noticing R2 in terrible shape. "Oh no ! Look at R2 !"

C3PO walked over to R2's smoking body as he was being lowered from Luke's ship. "Oh, my ! R2, can you hear me ? Say something !" He turned to one of the technicians. "You can repair him, can't you ?"

A technician took him. "We'll get to work on him right away."

"You must repair him ! Sir, if any of my circuits or gears will help, I'll gladly donate them !" C3PO pleaded.

The following day, all members of the Rebel Alliance met at the decoration room. Luke, Mina, Chewbacca and Han walked over to a podium, where Leia, dressed in an exquisite white gown, waited for them.

All 4 were offered a medal for their contribution in the destruction of the Death Star. R2 came out to greet them, good as new and beeping happily, earning a smile and a chuckle from both Luke and Leia. Luke, Mina, Chewbacca and Han faced the members of the Alliance, gaining thunderous applause from all. This victory would be the start of their long trek for peace against the Galactic Empire.

 **Yeah ! A New Hope is finally wrapped up ! We'll begin Empire Strikes Back on the next chapter. Expect Mina to play an even bigger role at most points in the story. Feel free to leave a review.**


	6. Trouble at Echo Base

Several months following the Rebel Alliance's victory, High Command knew they couldn't stay on Yavin IV before the Empire would return with a full fleet. Most of High Command, including Princess Leia, were unsure of where they could gather again and plan their next big move against the Empire.

Mina opted to contact her parents at Lah'mu, using a connection untraceable by the Empire. Ahsoka and Lux, having both traveled the extensive Galaxy, told them they could find a clue on Ord Mantell. A Rebel General/Spy had been tasked to find a place unoccupied by the Empire and also having no Hutt presence.

Once on Ord Mantell, Han, Mina and Chewie came up to meet with Hera Syndulla and her astromech, Chopper. After traveling in the most remote corners of the Galaxy, she discovered that the Hoth system had little to offer to the Empire in terms of resources. The extreme cold climate also made it unsuitable for the Hutts to colonize as well. Thus the mission that brought forth Echo Base began. On their way back to report their findings, a Bounty Hunter hired by Jabba the Hutt tried to shoot down Han. Fortunately, Mina blocked the bolt meant for him.

Han ran through the masses, creating chaos and panic in the marketplace. "Move people ! MOVE ! There's a killer on the loose !" The fleeing crowds made it impossible for the Bounty Hunter to pinpoint his target again.

Exiting the system, both the Ghost and the Millennium Falcon took their respective paths. Through the intercom, they heard Hera's nervous voice. "That was a close one, Captain Solo ! You were lucky you had a Jedi escort with you. I'm going back to the last known location of Admiral Ackbar's Mon Calamari Starfleet. Take care of yourselves, you hear ?"

Han offered gratitude to the Twi'lek pilot. "Thanks for the tip ! You be careful out there, General Syndulla. Don't get caught, huh ?"

Once the Ghost entered the safety of hyperspace, the trio on the Millennium Falcon were about to follow suit. Once into hyperspace, Chewie growled his sentiments.

Han plopped into his chair, sighing. "I know, Chewie ! Seems Jabba has decided to put a price on my head ! I'm going to have to "face the music" and pay him off eventually."

Mina sat next to him, trying to figure out a solution. "What I don't get is that the Empire allows the Hutts to rule unchecked, unchallenged… If the Hutts are allies with the Empire, he may just turn you over to them when you show up to pay. It's a big risk, Han. That Bounty Hunter was sloppy by the way, a far cry from what Mom told me about Cad Bane during the Clone Wars…"

Han drummed his fingers against the console, a sign of nervousness. "Cad Bane is dead, sweetheart ! There's one guy I really don't want to cross paths with… and that's Boba Fett."

Chewie whimpered slightly, hearing the name.

Mina raised an eye marking. "The "son" of the late Jango Fett, right ? He goes back a while. I remember Mom telling me about how Master Kenobi tried to apprehend him and Boba on Kamino. That was before the Clone Wars broke out… Is Boba really all that he's cracked up to be ?"

Han needed a cup of caf to soothe his nerves. "Let me put it this way, Snips… None as of yet, lived to tell about their encounters with Fett. He's known to disintegrate his targets. If you see him… Uh… Be smart… and _run_!"

"I'll try to remember that…" She rose up, getting herself a cup. The radar beeped. "We're coming up on Yavin IV. I hope High Command will take the tip. Hoth is about as remote as we could hope. Nothing valuable out there for the Empire, so little reason for them to visit the system."

Once the Millennium Falcon landed in the hangar, Leia quickly met up with them. "You're back ! Did you find anything useful ?"

Mina gave the report. "Yes, Spectre-2 managed to find out that Hoth remains unoccupied by either the Empire or the Hutts. It's by far our best option to set up a new base."

Leia paced around the group. "Hoth ? Come to think of it, that system never came into mind. It's so remote and so inhospitable that an Imperial presence is pointless. I'll bring up the suggestion to High Command."

Once Leia left the 3, Luke walked out from the sleeping quarters, looking quite relaxed. "You guys are back already ? I take it you got some good information ?"

Han nodded. "Yeah, odds are the Rebel Alliance will be freezing soon…"

Luke raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean by that ?"

"Odds are we'll be setting up a new base in the Hoth system. It's pretty cold out there, so it's a good thing the Rebel Alliance planned ahead and have enough winter gear for an army." Mina explained.

Luke huddled himself, imagining himself in the extreme cold. "How long before they make a decision ?"

Mina shrugged her shoulders. "Who knows ? A couple of hours, maybe ? While we wait… you & I have some training to catch up to…"

Luke groaned, not in the mood. "Do we have to now ? It's beautiful outside, we ought to…"

Mina crossed her arms in front of her chest, glaring at him. "Are you finished ? Do you want to wait until it's too late ? Come on, we're gonna work on basic telekinesis skills."

Luke gave in, knowing not to have her lose patience. "Ok. Ok. I'm coming."

They arrived at a clearing. Mina sat on a large boulder. "Do you have your lightsaber ?"

Luke felt around his belt. "Uh… no. I guess I left it back at the sleeping quarters…"

Mina shook her head disapprovingly. "How do you expect to train yourself in the Force if you don't have your lightsaber ?! It's like a mechanic without his tools ! Don't just stand there, you goof ! Go and get it !"

Luke threw his hands up, frustrated. "You could be a bit nicer, you know."

Mina cleared her throat. "If Mom were training you, you'd be getting an earful ! Lesson No. 1 : The Lightsaber is your life ! _Don't lose it_!"

Minutes later, Luke returned with the Jedi weapon. "I have it now. What's next ?"

Mina used the Force to yank his lightsaber from his hands. She placed it between some rocks, making sure it's perfectly wedged in. "Ok, Luke. Pull it back towards you."

"How ?! It's stuck between those rocks, thanks to you. How do you expect me to…"

Mina rolled her eyes, annoyed at his whining. "Is it possible for you to attend a training session without being so negative ? Extend your hand towards the lightsaber. Can you see it in your mind's eye ? See it coming towards you. Use the Force to pull it towards you. Try it, please ?"

Luke extended his hand and concentrated. It took a while for the lightsaber to free itself and return to Luke's hands. "What's the point of this activity ? I don't get it…"

"Imagine yourself in a bind. You're locked up in a cell. You see your lightsaber on a table nearby. If you focus enough, you can bring it to you, allowing you to free yourself and escape. This is a very basic ability, Luke, but it may just save your life when you're on your own and in need of a quick escape. I want you to practice it some more. I'll be back in a bit." She headed off towards the base.

As Luke began to practice the new move, he heard the humming of lightsabers coming down on him. He quickly called to his own, igniting it and managed to block Mina's double-strike.

"Lesson No. 2 : _Never turn your back on an enemy during a fight. Don't let your guard down. Ever._ "

Luke managed to hold his own for a moment until Mina Force-Pushed him onto the ground. Luke regained his breath. "You really enjoy giving me a workout, do you ?"

Mina extinguished her lightsabers, helping him up. "These are the teachings of my mother. I'm passing along this knowledge to you. Eventually, you'll pass on what you've learned to the next generation of Force-Sensitives."

Luke shook his head. "As long as the Empire stands, I think it's too risky to teach anyone."

"Agreed. Remember, I'm only teaching you the basics. In time, you'll find some other, better teachers to show you the ways of the Force. And my mother's teachings don't exactly follow the Jedi's path. She's neither a Jedi nor a Sith. She's a Force-Wielder clinging to the Path of Light."

Luke bowed respectfully to her. "Thanks for taking the time to get me started, Mina. I know I grumble here and there, but you're really helping me out to understand the Force a bit more. Ben hardly had a chance to show me anything but to not trust my eyes."

Suddenly, Mina's comlink buzzed. "Mina here."

Leia's voice rang through the comm. "Is Luke with you ? You both have to pack your things. It's been decided. We're heading to Hoth."

"Copy that, Leia. We'll be there in a moment. Mina, out."

Over the next several hours, everyone collected their belongings before taking their respective ships. While Luke and Mina acted as escorts, Leia flew with Han and Chewie. Several rotations later, they arrived at Hoth. It took close to another month before Echo Base would be almost finished.

 **Elsewhere, in Deep Space…**

A Star Destroyer flew around, releasing hundreds of Imperial Probe Droids to scour the Galaxy for the new location of the Rebel Base. Unfortunately for the Rebels, one had Hoth's coordinates into its programming. Once it landed into a desolate snow plain, it began to search for clues of the Rebels' possible presence…

 **Snow Plains of Hoth**

A lone Tauntaun rider strode across the seemingly lifeless plains, only stopping to notice a "meteorite" crashing nearby. Luke quickly activated his comlink. "Echo 3 to Echo 7. Han, old buddy. Do you read me ?"

Static was heard before Han's familiar voice came through. "Loud and clear, kid. What's up ?"

"Well, I finished my circle. I don't pick up any life readings."

Han laughed. "There isn't enough Life on this ice cube to fill a space cruiser. The sensors are placed, I'm going back."

"Right. I'll see you shortly. There's a meteorite that hit the ground near here. I want to check it out. It won't take long." Luke ended his transmission.

Before he could move on, his Tauntaun begins to act nervous, looking in all directions.

Luke tried to calm his steed down. "Hey, steady girl ! What's the matter ? Do you smell something ?"

A large shadow appeared behind the two. A monstrous roar got Luke to turn around, only to be swatted off his Tauntaun by a large, clawed paw. The blow was powerful enough to render Luke unconscious. The predator was the dreaded Ice Wampa, which feasted on the native Tauntauns. Luke's Tauntaun didn't get a chance to escape as the Ice Wampa snapped its neck in a single blow. It dragged Luke and the dead Tauntaun to its cave, to feast on them later.

 **Echo Base**

As Han entered the safety of the rebel base with his Tauntaun, he dismounted the beast and walked towards the hangar, where Chewie was busy soldering a part of the Millennium Falcon's hull.

"Chewie ? Chewie ? Chewie !"

Chewie broke out of his focus, removing the mask, growling a remark to Han.

Han could tell Chewie was irritated. "All right, don't lose your temper ! I'll come back and give you a hand."

Han walked into the main control room, where General Rieekan, Leia and Mina were keeping a close eye on the radar for approaching ships. Since it was freezing, everyone wore fur coats to keep warm. Mina wore Ahsoka's old fur coat she had while on Carlac and on Illum during her time in the Clone Wars.

Rieekan broke out of his concentration to speak with the former smuggler. "Solo ? Any update ?"

"No sign of Life out there, General. The sensors are in place. You'll know if anything comes around." Han could see that Leia was giving him a mean glare.

"Has Commander Skywalker reported in yet ?" Rieekan asked.

"No. He's checking out a meteorite that hit near him."

Rieekan looked over to the radar screens. "With all the meteorite activity in this system, it's going to be difficult to spot approaching ships."

Han had to make an announcement. "General, I've got to leave. I can't stay anymore."

Rieekan looked a bit disappointed. "I'm sorry to hear that."

Han explained why. "Well, there's a price on my head. If I don't pay off Jabba the Hutt, I'm a dead man."

Rieekan shook hands with him. "A death mark is not an easy thing to live with. You're a good fighter, Solo. I hate to lose you."

"Thank you, General." He turned his attention to Leia. "Well, Your Highness, I guess this is it."

She nodded. "That's right."

Han noticed how coldly she answered. "Well, don't get all mushy on me. So long, Princess !"

As he walked out, Mina turned over to Leia. "We can't let him go. He could get killed…"

Leia pondered for a moment, then she ran after him. In the corridor, she called out to him. "Han !"

Han turned over to her, remaining polite. "Yes, Your Highnessness ?"

She looked concerned for him. "I thought you had decided to stay."

Han shrugged his shoulders. "Well, the Bounty Hunter we ran into on Ord Mantell changed my mind."

She pleaded to him. "Han, we need you."

Han raised an eyebrow. "We ?"

She nodded quickly. "Yes."

He pointed to her. "Oh… what about you need ?"

For a moment, Leia was stumped. "I need ? I don't know what you're talking about !"

Han had enough about her show of ignorance. "You probably don't…"

As Han raced further towards the Falcon, she grabbed his arm. "What precisely am I supposed to know ?"

For Han, it was obvious. "Come on ! You want me to stay because of the way you feel about me !"

Her reasons weren't quite the same as Han's. "Yes ! You're a great help to us ! You're a natural leader…"

Han was fed up. "That's not it !" He motioned to his lips. "Come on. Nuh, uh ! Come on !"

"You're imagining things !" Leia's temper began to flare up.

"Am I ? Then why are you following me ? Afraid that I was going to leave without giving you a goodbye kiss ?"

Leia stomped angrily. "I'd sooner kiss a Wookie !"

"I can arrange that ! You could use a good kiss !" Han shouted in the distance.

Leia stood there, dazed at Han's behaviour. She broke out of her daze when Mina addressed her.

"Leia ? What the heck was that all about ?"

Leia only stared back blankly. "Nothing. Nothing at all. Let's return to the control room, shall we ?"

 **Elsewhere in Echo Base**

C3PO and R2-D2 were arguing about a "predicament" concerning Leia's room. "Don't try to blame me. I didn't ask you to turn on the thermal heater. I merely commented that it was freezing in the Princess' chamber."

R2 beeped a reply, getting C3PO to turn to him. "But it's supposed to be freezing ! How are we going to dry all her clothes ? I really don't know !"

R2 beeped a protest, earning C3PO's ire. "Oh, switch off !"

The two walked over to the Millennium Falcon, where Han and Chewie were arguing.

Han was on the verge of a panic attack. "Why do you take this apart now ?!" He shot a glare at the Wookie. "I'm trying to get us out of here and you pull both of these ?! Put them back together right now !" Chewie only grumbled in reply.

C3PO tried to get Han's attention. "Excuse me, sir ? May I have a word with you, please ?"

As if Han's day couldn't any worse, he turned his attention to the Protocol Droid. "What do you want ?"

"Well, it's Princess Leia, sir. She's been trying to reach you on the communicator."

Han shook his head. "I turned it off ! I don't want to talk to her !"

C3PO got to the point. "Oh. Well, Princess Leia is wondering about Master Luke. He hasn't come back yet. She doesn't know where he is."

Han didn't have a clue either. "I don't know where he is."

C3PO sounded stressed. "Nobody knows where he is."

This got Han concerned. "What do you mean "Nobody knows" ?"

He called out to some people charged with surveillance. "Deck Officer ! Deck Officer !"

A man came up to Han. "Yes ?"

Han pointed to him. "Do you know where Commander Skywalker is ?"

The Deck Officer was as clueless as everybody. "I haven't seen him. It's possible he came in through the South entrance."

This answer wasn't good enough for Han. "It's possible ? Why don't you go find out ? It's getting dark out there !"

The Deck Officer rushed to where the Tauntauns were kept. "Yes, sir !"

C3PO tried to get a definite answer. "Excuse me, sir. Might I inquire on what's going on ?"

"Why not ?" Han left the droids to meet with the Deck Officer.

C3PO always had trouble with understanding Human behaviour. "Impossible man ! Come along, R2. Let's find Princess Leia. Between ourselves, I think Master Luke is in considerable danger."

 **South Entrance**

Han raced to the entrance, where all the Tauntauns were gathered. The Deck Officer and assistant met up with him. "Sir, Commander Skywalker hasn't come in through the South entrance. He might have forgotten to check in."

Han wasn't buying it. They all followed the protocol to the letter. "Not likely, are the speeders ready ?"

"Not yet, we're having trouble adapting them to the cold."

Han chose an animal to ride. "Then I guess I'll have to go on Tauntaun."

Mina walked in, alerted by the commotion. "What's going on ? Where are you going at _this_ hour ?"

"I have reason to think that Luke got lost out there, Mina. I'm going to look for him."

Mina quickly mounted a Tauntaun of her own. "Not without me, you aren't ! I'm coming along ! I can use my montrals to pinpoint his exact location if we get close enough. In the present storm, it's the only way we'll find him."

Han knew better than to doubt her biological tools. "Here's hoping the wind and the cold won't keep them from working properly."

Mina rolled her eyes. "Why do you think I have this specially designed hood to protect them ? It's to ensure that they don't get freezed by the chilly winds. And the Force will guide me. Trust me, we've got pretty good chances of finding Luke before it's too late !"

The Deck Commander pleaded against their intentions. "General Solo, Commander Bonteri, the temperature is dropping too rapidly ! Don't risk it. It's too dangerous !"

Mina glared at the Deck Commander. "Do you really think we'd allow our friend to freeze to death ? Not if we can help it ! We're going regardless of the weather."

The Deck Commander couldn't believe they were risking their lives. "Your Tauntauns will freeze before you reach the first marker."

Han still wasn't deterred. "Then, they'll see you in Hell ! Come on, Snips ! Let's move !"

Both ventured into the cold, hoping to find Luke still alive.

 **So the segment of The Empire Strikes Back has begun ! I thought I would add some extra scenes that we didn't see in the movies. Such as Mina teaching Luke the basics of the Force and the Bounty Hunter encounter on Ord Mantell. Over the next chapter, Luke will be rescued by Han and Mina. Feel free to leave a review.**


	7. Rescue in the Nick of Time

**Inside the Wampa's Cave**

Luke was suddenly woken by the screams of a dying Tauntaun and the accompanying roar of the Wampa. Looking around him, he quickly noticed his boots were frozen in the ceiling of the cave. If only he could detach himself from his boots, he could manage to escape becoming lunch. He tried to pull himself to release himself, however he was too exhausted to reach upwards to his boots.

Once the Wampa finished its last bit of Tauntaun, it began to toss the bones into a corner. Luke scanned around and found his lightsaber wedged into some hard snow. Reaching out with the Force, he tried to pry it out. The lightsaber only moved slightly from its position. Luke then recalled Mina's lessons and shut his eyes, focusing more.

More and more, the weapon was freeing itself from its wedged position. As the Wampa moved towards Luke, the latter managed to ignite it in time, releasing himself from the frozen ceiling. Luke plopped onto the snow-covered floor, quickly righting himself to slash at the Wampa, cutting one of its arms. Taking advantage of the creature's shock, he gathered all his strength and raced outside the cave, to the desolate snowy plains.

Trying to distance himself as quickly from the Wampa's cave, Luke wasn't looking where he was going and rolled down a steep hill, covering himself in more snow. He fought against the cold as long as possible, until he finally collapsed onto the barren snow plains.

 **Echo Base, Main Entrance**

Leia, Chewie, C3PO and R2-D2 stuck around the entrance, hoping that Luke would suddenly emerge from the snow plains, right as day. However, things were looking quite grim. A man named Derlin stood by Leia's side. One of the rebels in charge of surveillance approached him. "Sir, all patrols are in. There's still no contact from Skywalker, Bonteri or Solo."

R2-D2 had his radar scanning for life forms. He beeped a remark to his counterpart. C3PO turned to Leia. "Mistress Leia, R2 says he's been quite unable to pick up any signals, although he does admit that his own range is far too weak to abandon all hope."

Leia nodded, but she still had trouble believing that Luke was lost in the cold. Derlin broke her out of her thoughts. "Your Highness, there's nothing more we can do tonight. The shield doors must be closed."

As the doors began to close, Chewie feared for losing his long-time friend, Han Solo. He howled his despair. Once the doors shut with a loud boom, he lowered his head, whimpering.

Leia, on her end, was still dazed by Luke's unexpected disappearance. Once again, C3PO tried to stay optimistic about the situation. "Actually, R2 has been known to make mistakes… from time to time. Oh, dear. Oh, dear. Don't worry about Master Luke, I'm sure he'll be all right. He's quite clever, you know… for a human being."

 **Desolate Snow Plains**

It is unknown for how long Luke had been out cold, but as he regained a bit of consciousness, he saw Obi-Wan's figure, as a ghost barely visible through the harsh winds. He heard his voice. "Luke… Luke…"

Luke suddenly wondered if he was hallucinating. "Ben… ?"

"You will go to the Dagobah system." He instructed.

Luke had no clue where it was or why he should go there. "Dagobah system ?"

It was time for Obi-Wan to reveal more information about the Jedi's past. "There, you will learn from Yoda, the Jedi Master who instructed all Jedi when we were Younglings. Your Father had some of his teachings, so did his Apprentice. You will learn more from him. He will continue your training from where young Mina left you off."

Obi-Wan's figure disappeared into the winds, revealing two Tauntauns running towards him. "Ben ! Ben…" Luke was slipping away again into unconsciousness.

Mina was relieved to have found him. "See, I told you we'd find him around here ! My montrals never lie."

Han quickly dismounted his Tauntaun. "What the hell happened to him ?! Get a look at that scar on his face !" He ran up to him, holding him in his arms. "Luke ! Luke ! Don't do to us, Luke ! Come on, give us a sign !" Han tried desperately to shake him awake.

As the two were looking over Luke's wounds, the Tauntauns' harsh breathing got their attention. Both looked back as their steeds fell over, killed by the intense cold.

Mina huddled herself. "Well, ain't that great ! We're never going to return back to Base on foot ! It's a good thing you brought that basic shelter along for the ride, Han. I fear we'll have to keep ourselves warm to live though the night."

Han turned to her, panic setting in. "How the heck are we supposed to keep him alive in this cold ?! He's slipping away !"

Luke mumbled in his deliriousness. "Ben… Ben… Dagobah… Yoda…"

Han suddenly had an idea. "What if we open the belly of one of our Tauntauns and stash him in there until the shelter is up ?"

Mina reached for one of her lightsabers. "They're already dead, so it's not like they'll feel any pain. Here goes." Igniting it, she cleaved the belly open of her Tauntaun. Once the insides began to spill out, a stench like no other hit her. "Phew ! What a stink ! Give me a moment, Han."

Mina used the Force to pull out the entrails and tossed them a distance away from where they'd set camp. Once that was done, she began to work on setting up the shelter.

Han struggled to shove Luke inside the Tauntaun's warm exposed belly. "This may smell bad, Kid… But it'll keep you warm till Mina gets the shelter up. Oof ! I thought they smelled bad… on the outside… Whew !"

Once the shelter was set up, Luke was brought in. Mina removed her fur coat and used it to cover up Luke, whom while still unconscious, was shivering constantly. To keep herself comfortable, she called onto the Force for additional body heat. Han huddled himself in his coat, making sure no snow was on it. As the chilly winds blew through the night, the two never stopped to keep an eye on Luke, in case his symptoms would worsen.

 **Over the following morning…**

A quartet of Snowspeeders raced along the barren plains, looking for any signs of Luke, Mina or Han. One of the pilots, codenamed Rogue Two, had a faint beep on his radar. "Echo Base… I've got something ! Not much, but it could be a life form." He tried to contact the missing trio. "This is Rogue Two. This is Rogue Two. General Solo, do you copy ? Commander Bonteri, do you copy ? Commander Skywalker, do you copy ? This is Rogue Two."

Suddenly, the comm buzzed alive. Mina's voice greeted him first. "It's about time you guys got around here ! What'd you do, stop for caf ?!"

He heard Han's voice next. "Give me that ! You little… ! Hey ! Good morning ! Nice of you guys to drop by !"

Rogue Two couldn't contain his excitement. "Echo Base… This is Rogue Two ! I've found them ! I repeat, I've found them !"

As the Snowspeeders landed, the pilots saw that Luke was laid on a stretcher, awake, but weak from his ordeal. Thankfully, every ship had a second compartment to accommodate a co-pilot. Rogue Two gladly took Luke along with him, while Mina and Han went with two others.

 **Echo Base, Medical Bay**

For a few days, Luke was placed into a Bacta Tank to accelerate his healing. By the time he was pulled out, only a few scars remained on his face.

He sat on a chair, as he saw Leia, Han, Chewie and Mina walk over to him, followed by C3PO and R2-D2. The former wasted no time to express his relief. "Master Luke, sir, it's so good to see you fully functional again ! R2 expresses his relief also."

Mina hugged him gently. "You have no idea how lucky you are when we first came upon you ! A bit more and you would have been dead ! I'm glad to see that you're on the mend."

Han sat next to Luke. "How are you feeling, Kid ? You don't look so bad to me. In fact, you look strong enough to pull the ears off a Gundark !"

Luke smiled, eying both Han and Mina. "Thanks to you two !"

"That's two you owe us, junior !" Han turned over to Leia, grinning like mad. "Well, Your Worship, looks like you managed to keep me around a little while longer."

Leia couldn't believe that Han was still going on his "illusions". "I had nothing to do with it. General Rieekan thinks it's dangerous for any ships to leave the system until we've activated the energy field."

Han snorted a laugh. "That's a good story ! I think you just can't bear to let a gorgeous guy like me out of your sight."

Mina facepalmed. " _Oh, please ! He did NOT say that !_ "

Leia rolled her eyes. "I don't know where you get your delusions, laser-brain !"

Chewie couldn't help but letting out a laugh in his own language.

Han scoffed, moving towards Leia, even placing an arm around her. "Laugh it up, fuzzball ! But you didn't see us alone in the South Passage. She expressed her true feelings for me."

Leia backed away a few steps, releasing herself from his arm. "My… ?! Why, you stuck up, half-witted, scruffy-looking… nerfherder !"

Han turned to her, slightly insulted. "Who's scruffy-looking ?!" He tilted towards Luke. "I must have hit pretty close to the mark to get her riled up like that, huh Kid ?"

Leia decided to teach Han a lesson. "Well, I guess you don't know everything about women yet ?" She surprised everyone by kissing Luke rather passionately.

Once she broke away from the kiss and walked out, Luke just took in his little victory, smirking and holding his hands behind his head, while leaning in his chair more comfortably.

Mina couldn't help but add to Leia's "barbs". "Smooth, Han. Real smooth. You're quite the ladies' man, I see ! Your reputation certainly precedes you."

Han groaned inwardly. "Aw, shut it, will ya ? Can't you speak to anyone without feeling the need to land a snark ?"

She snorted a laugh. "When it's called for, you _know_ I can't resist, right ? Besides, this… "snippiness", if you want to call it that, I got it from my Mom. She did leave a good deal of people utterly speechless after landing a well-placed "barb". I'm actually improving on her material !"

The intercom rang out in the distance. "Headquarters personnel, please report to Command Center."

Han knew he would have to be at odds with Leia yet again. "Headquarters personnel, that includes you and me, Mina." He gave a last look at Luke. "Take it easy, huh ?"

C3PO joined the rest. "Please, excuse us."

All but Luke quickly rushed to the Command Center, unaware of what awaited them.

 **And that's where I'll end this chapter for now. Fear not, there will be another, bigger chapter over the middle of the week. We'll see how the Rebels respond to having a Probe Droid scouting around. We'll also see the appearance of the Imperial Fleet, lead by none other than Darth Vader. The Battle of Hoth will be the major highlight of the coming chapter, seeing the Rebels trying to defend their base against the Empire's AT-AT and AT-ST walkers. As for what concerns Mina, she'll break off from teaching Luke about the Force for the time being and will focus on protecting Leia, which means she'll again be part of the Millennium Falcon's crew. Feel free to leave a review.**


	8. The Battle of Hoth

**Main Control Room, Echo Base**

As Han and Mina arrived at the control room, Rieekan was addressing Leia. "Princess… we have a visitor."

They looked at the radar screen and saw a dot moving East. Rieekan's face showed that he was nervous. "We've picked up something moving outside of the base in zone 12."

The technician in charge of the radar got one important detail. "It's metal."

Leia let out a temporary sigh of relief. "So it couldn't be one of those creatures that attacked Luke."

Han thought about a distant possibility. "It could be a speeder of ours."

The technician shook his head. "No. Wait… there's something very weak coming through."

They all listened as a low range of noises was heard through the comm.

C3PO turned to Rieekan. "Sir, I am fluent in over 6 million forms of communication. This signal is not used by the Alliance. It could be an Imperial code."

'It isn't friendly, whatever it is. Myself, Chewie and Mina will check it out." Han led the two to the main entrance of Echo Base.

 **Snow Plains of Hoth**

Near Station 3-8, the Probe Droid floated towards the Rebel Base. Hidden behind some snow dunes, Han, Chewie and Mina waited for the droid to be in range. Once it got too close, Chewie roared, causing it to activate its alarm system, shooting at them.

Mina covered her montrals. "That alarm is really giving me a headache, you know ?" She looked up to Han, whom readied his blaster. "What are you waiting for ?! Blast it !"

"Well, I need to aim first, Snips ! Give a moment, huh ?" Han quickly took aim and shot a few bolts. Seconds later, the Probe Droid exploded.

 **Main Control Room, Echo Base**

Everyone listened intently to Han's report through the comm. "Afraid there's not much left."

"What was it ?" Leia questioned.

"Droid of some kind. I didn't hit it that hard. It must have had a self-destruct."

Leia sighed, realizing what it meant. "An Imperial Probe Droid."

"It's a good bet the Empire knows we're here !" Han remarked.

Rieekan thought it best to be safe than sorry. "We better start the evacuation."

 **Imperial Fleet, through deep space**

In an area in space, the Imperial Fleet was moving forward. Tie-Fighters flew around the various Star Destroyers. Looming above, was Darth Vader's Super Star Destroyer : The Executor. It dwarfed all ships around it. On the bridge, several Imperial technicians were busy overlooking the data sent by Probe Droids all over the Galaxy. Darth Vader himself stood by the viewport, gazing into the distant stars.

Captain Piett called out to his immediate superior, Admiral Ozzel, whom was charged with the functioning of the Executor. "Admiral ! You should see this…"

Ozzel walked over. "Yes, Captain ?"

Piett motioned to the image sent out by the latest Probe Droid. "I think we've for something, sir. This report is but a fragment from a Probe Droid in the Hoth system, but it's the best lead we have."

"Leads" weren't good enough for Ozzel. "We have _thousands_ of Probe Droids scouring the Galaxy. I want proof, not leads !"

Piett pointed at the screen. "The visuals indicate life readings."

Ozzel shook his head. "It could mean anything. If we followed every lead…"

"But sir, the Hoth system is supposed to be devoid of Human occupation." Piett argued.

Vader, now broken away from his thoughts, walked over to where the two were arguing. "You found something ?"

"Yes, my Lord." Piett nervously replied.

Vader took a couple of seconds to study the image. "That's it. The Rebels are there."

Ozzel made the mistake of "patronizing" Darth Vader. "My Lord, there are so many uncharted settlements. It could be smugglers, it could be…"

Vader cut him off quickly, causing him to swallow a lump. "That is the system. And I'm sure Skywalker is with them. Set your course for the Hoth system." He turned to another high-ranking Imperial, just standing not too far from him. "General Veers, prepare your men."

As Vader and Veers walked off, Ozzel gave Piett an angry glare.

 **Echo Base, Hoth**

Evacuation was going on schedule, precious cargo was loaded in designated transports, just waiting to head out into space… and hopefully away from Imperial entanglements. A Rebel captain was planning their move into space.

"Groups 7 and 10 will stay behind to fly the speeders. As soon as each transport is loaded, evacuation control will give clearance for immediate launch."

Alarms blared while countless Rebels and Alliance droids raced to their stations. Snowspeeders were placed in the Main Entrance, ready to be deployed at a moment's notice.

In the hangar, Han had just finished some much-needed soldering on the hull of his ship. He activated his comlink to give Chewie the go ahead. "Ok, that's it. Try it !"

Chewie pressed a button, causing a series of electrical shortages and mini-explosions where Han soldered last. "Turn it off ! Turn it off ! Turn it off !"

While Han and Chewie were dealing with their problems, Luke was getting ready to join up with the attack squad.

The medical droid that treated him seemed concerned about the incoming attack. "Sir, it will take quite a while to evacuate the T-47s."

Luke buckled his utility belt, making sure his lightsaber was attached with it. "Well, forget the heavy equipment. There's plenty of time to get the smaller modules on the transports."

As Luke was about to head out, his medical droid turned to him. "Take care, sir."

On the way to the Snowspeeders, Luke stopped by the Millennium Falcon to bid his friends good-bye. He patted Chewie on the arm. "Chewie, take care of yourself, ok ?"

Before Luke could head out, Chewie grabbed him from behind, giving a tight hug.

Han was on the hull, near the cockpit with a repair droid rolling about. "There's gotta be a reason for it. Check it at the other end. Wait a second." Han raised his hand in front of the droid, causing it to stop completely. He turned his attention to Luke. "Hi, Kid. You all right ?"

Luke's scars had healed for the most part. "Yeah."

Han waved to him. "Be careful."

Nodding, Luke returned the gesture. "You too."

In the Main Control Room, General Rieekan kept a steady eye on the radar. The Head Controller got his attention. "General, there's a fleet of Star Destroyers coming out of hyperspace in Sector 4."

Rieekan knew conflict would be inevitable at this point. "Reroute all power to the energy shield. We've got to hold them until all transports are away. Prepare for ground assault."

 **Aboard the Executor, Vader's Meditation Chamber**

General Veers walked over to the edge of Vader's mediation chamber, staying still until he was addressed. "What is it, General ?"

"My Lord, the fleet has moved out of light-speed. Com-Scan has detected an energy field protecting an area around the 6th planet of the Hoth system. The field is strong enough to deflect any bombardment." Veers explained.

Vader knew who to blame for having their approach noticed. "The Rebels are alerted to our presence. Admiral Ozzel came out of light-speed too close to the system."

Veers cleared his throat. "He felt surprise was wiser…"

Vader cut him off. "He is as clumsy as he is stupid. General, prepare your troops for a surface attack."

Veers bowed quickly before heading out. "Yes, my Lord."

Vader's chair turned to a large screen, showing the bridge of his ship. Admiral Ozzel quickly turned to face the Sith Lord.

"Lord Vader, the fleet has moved out of light-speed and we're preparing to… augh…"

Vader held him in a Force Choke. "You have failed me for the last time, Admiral." He watched as Ozzel held his throat, trying to breathe, to no avail. "Captain Piett."

Piett stepped forward, ignoring Ozzel's gasps. "Yes, my Lord."

"Make ready to land our troops beyond their energy field and deploy the fleet so that nothing gets off that system. You are in command now, _Admiral_ Piett."

Piett looked over his shoulder as Ozzel's now lifeless body collapsed on the floor, giving him an early warning should he mess up. Regardless, the sudden promotion was appreciated. "Thank you, Lord Vader."

 **Echo Base**

Leia was around a group of pilots, some of whom would act as escorts for the large Rebel transports.

"All troop carriers will assemble at the North entrance. The heavy transport ships will leave as soon as they're loaded. Only two Fighter escorts per ships. The energy field can only be opened for a short time, so you'll have to stay very close to your transports."

One of the pilots had his doubts. "Two Fighters against a Star Destroyer ?"

Leia quickly responded to his worry. "The Ion cannon will fire several shots to make sure that any enemy ships will be out of your flight path. When you've gotten past the energy field, proceed directly to the rendezvous point. Understood ?"

All nodded. "Right. Ok."

Leia wished them the best. "Good Luck."

The Rebel Captain by Leia's side prompted everyone to get going. "Ok, everyone to your stations ! Let's go !"

All available Rebel fighters prepared themselves for the upcoming Imperial attack, installing themselves over the barren snow plains near the base. Powerful lasers controlled by remote control, bazookas and various blasters were their weapons of choice.

Back at the Main Control room, Rieekan took a glance at the radar screen "Their primary target will be the power generators. Prepare to open the shield."

As the first transport and its escorts flew in space, Imperials were waiting for them as a Star Destroyer was nearby, its tractor beam ready to be activated at any moment. An officer approached his captain. "Sir, Rebel ships are coming into our sector."

The captain was looking forward to an easy capture. "Good ! Our first catch of the day."

Back at the Main Control room, the controller readied the "surprise" for the Imperials. Stand by, Ion control… Fire !"

A couple of shots from the Ion cannon flew right above the transport, hitting the waiting Star Destroyer, allowing the first of many transports to safely evacuate the system of Hoth.

Back at the base, everyone heard the announcement over the intercom. "First transport is away !" The pilots all cheered and ran to their designated Snowspeeders.

At the Main Control room, Leia, Mina and Rieekan were overlooking the radar screen, noticing many new blips appearing on the screen.

Leia turned to her friend. "You're not joining Luke and the others for the fight ?"

Mina shook her head, crossing her arms. "Not this time, Leia. Something inside me tells me that I better stick close to you. Besides, Luke's not alone out there. Wedge, Hobbie and the rest will stick by him. Don't worry, they won't be part of the casualties. I'm sure of this."

At the main entrance, Luke climbed into his Snowspeeder. With him, was a fairly new Rebel by the name of Dak Ralter. "Feeling all right, sir ?"

Luke looked over his shoulder, greeting the new recruit. "Just like new, Dak. How about you ?"

Dak was definitely looking forward to be part of the struggle. "Right now, I feel like I could take on the whole Empire myself."

Luke chuckled, strapping himself in his seat. "I know what you mean."

At the snow plains, a Rebel used his electrobinoculars to get a better look at what was coming towards them. In the distance, several AT-ATs and AT-STs were slowly making their way towards Echo Base. It was quickly reported in. "Echo Station 3-T-8, we've spotted Imperial walkers !"

The announcement was heard over the intercom. "Imperial walkers on the North ridge."

 **Snow Plains**

The Rebels tried their best to hold their own against the Empire. The soldiers on foot could hardly make a difference. Perhaps the Snowspeeders had a real chance with the AT-ATs.

Luke lead Rogue Squadron, a group of about 10 Snowspeeders to intercept the Imperial threat. "Echo Station 5-7, we're on our way."

They raced towards the walkers. Luke needed to keep everyone united. "All right, boys. Keep tight now."

Dak, on his end, had technical difficulties. "Luke, I have no approach vector. I'm not set !"

Luke tried to inspire his friend confidence. "Steady, Dak. Attack pattern Delta. Go now !"

The AT-ATs managed to blast down a couple of Snowspeeders coming their way.

Luke closed in onto the AT-ATs' position. "All right, I'm coming in !" He contacted another pilot through his comlink. "Hobbie, you still with me ?"

Snowspeeders attempted to blast at both the head and the hull of the AT-ATs. Luke knew it wasn't going to work. "That armor is too strong for blasters." Luke suddenly had an idea. "Rogue Group, use your harpoons and tow cables. It might be our only chance at stopping them." Luke peered over his shoulder. "All right, stand by, Dak."

Dak tried to warn his partner. "Luke, we've got a malfunction in fire control. I'll have to cut in the auxiliary."

"Just hang on. Hang on, Dak. Get ready to fire that tow cable." Luke encouraged.

As they flew around a AT-AT, a stray bolt managed to hit Dak, killing him on the spot.

Luke turned around to see his partner all but alive. "Dak ? Dak ?!"

On the Imperial side of things, Veers' AT-AT was inching closer and closer to the power generator. He was soon greeted by a hologram of Darth Vader, looking quite impatient. "Yes, Lord Vader. I've reached the main power generator. The shield will be down in moments. You may start your landing."

Luke knew he would need some assistance. "Rogue 3 ?"

Wedge answered through the comlink. "Copy, Rogue Leader."

Luke tried not to show much nervousness in his voice. "Wedge, I've lost my gunner. You'll have to take this shot. I'll cover for you. Set your harpoon. Follow me on the next pass."

Wedge quickly took Luke's lead. "Coming around, Rogue Leader."

They flew under the legs of an AT-AT. Wedge turned to his gunner, Janson. "Activate harpoon."

They made a few circles around the AT-AT's legs, making sure it would prevent them from going further. "Good shot, Janson !"

"Cable out ! Let her go !"

Once the AT-AT took one more step, it tripped on the cable and fell on the snow, face first.

A Rebel Captain motioned a couple of free Snowspeeders to blast it while it was down. "Come on !"

The Rebels cheered as one AT-AT was blasted to bits.

Wedge certainly liked their handiwork. "Woah ! That got him !"

Luke wasn't one to lack on praise. "I see it, Wedge ! Good work !"

 **Echo Base, Main Control Room**

The ceilings were beginning to collapse more and more. Rieekan knew he had to leave soon. "I don't think we can protect two transports at a time."

Leia didn't want to abandon so much. "It's risky, but we can't hold out any longer. We have no choice."

Rieekan sent out the last of their forces. "Launch patrols."

Leia quickly turned to one of the technicians. "Evacuate remaining ground staff."

Mina was feeling more and more nervous. "And when are _we_ leaving, Leia ? If we stand around here longer, we'll miss out on our lift out of here."

While the crumbling base got most people running, Han and Chewie were still trying to finalize their repairs before taking off. Han guided the Wookie. "No, no, no ! This one goes there. That one goes there, right ?"

R2 was being loaded on Luke's X-Wing while C3PO looked helplessly. "R2, you take good care of Master Luke now, you understand ?"

R2 beeped a somewhat comforting reply. C3PO couldn't help but worry. "And do take care of yourself… Oh dear, oh dear…" He went off towards Leia and Mina.

 **Snow Plains**

The Imperial Forces were quickly gaining ground. Despite the Rebels' heavy artillery, none could really bring down the AT-ATs. Veers looked at the distance to the main power generator through some specialized visual device. "All troops will debark for ground assault. Prepare to target the main generator."

Luke caught a few bolts while flying around a AT-AT. Eventually, he was brought down into the snowy plains. "Hobbie, I've been hit !"

As Luke crashed, he quickly pushed the cockpit window of his way. A foot of an approaching AT-AT threatened to crush him. Luke quickly reached for his lightsaber and rolled out of the way before he would be crushed to death.

 **Echo Base, Main Control Room**

Han quickly ran to where he saw Leia last. She was still trying to send messages to the remaining Rebels. Mina then knew they'd be in for quite a ride. Han did make an effort to look concerned. "Are you two all right ?"

Leia turned to him, slightly annoyed. "Why are you still here ?!"

"I heard the Command Center had been hit."

Leia motioned her head to the side, signaling he could go. "You've got your clearance to leave !"

Han still couldn't stand idly by if she wasn't safe. "Don't worry. I'll leave. First I'll get you two to your ship."

C3PO agreed with the motion. "Your Highness, we must take this last transport. It's our only hope !"

While the controller remained near the radar screen, Leia had a couple of instructions to pass through. "Send all troops in Sector 12 to the South slope to protect the fighters… And get to your transport !"

They heard the panicked words over the comlink. "Imperial Troops have entered the base ! Imperial troops have –" Static was heard on the other end.

Han caught Leia by an arm. "Come on, that's it !" He quickly looked out to Mina. "Snips, want to join my crew again ? There's still a place for you, you know !"

Mina sighed loudly. "I had a hunch we'd still work together. Lead the way, Han."

In the plains, all troops were retreating. Veers had no trouble shooting down the main power generator.

Luke was on foot and ran underneath a AT-AT. Shooting his harpoon at the underside, he managed to reel himself up. While up there, he used his lightsaber to carve an entrance, just enough to toss in a bomb. Detaching himself, he fell onto the snow, and looked up to the sight of his bomb completely incapacitating the AT-AT, having fall to the side like a tree being cut down.

Inside Echo Base's icy corridors, a cave-in nearly brought Leia down, had Han not quickly yanked her away. He quickly contacted Rieekan. "Transport, this is Solo. Better take off, I can't get to you. I'll get the Princess and Commander Bonteri out on the Falcon."

As Han, Leia and Mina reached a door, C3PO ran towards them as fast as his legs would take him. "But… but… but… Where are you going ?! Come back ! Wait ! Wait for me ! How typical."

While C3PO waited a second by the door, Han quickly yanked him in. They were racing towards the Falcon's boarding ramp. "Hurry up, Goldenrod, or you're going to be a permanent resident !"

"Wait ! Wait !" C3PO entered the ship just in time.

Snowtroopers, followed by Darth Vader, arrived at the remains of the Command Center. They were quickly making their way to the hangar.

As the Falcon was about to fly out, they had obvious engine troubles. Steam blew in Chewie's face, making him howl in pain. "How's this ?"

Leia turned to the smuggler, clearly irritated. "Would it help if I got out and pushed ?!"

"It might." Han joked.

C3PO sensed something was off for the ship. "Captain Solo, Captain Solo, might I suggest that…"

Han raised a hand, signaling to shut up.

C3PO got the hint. "It can wait."

While the Snowtroopers readied a laser to blast the Falcon, Han controlled a small automatic blaster to shoot down the Imperials.

Once Chewie and Mina arrived at the cockpit, Han hit the controls. "Come on ! Come on ! Switch over ! Let's hope we don't have a burnout !"

Leia doubted Han's chances. "This bucket of bolts is never going to get us past that blockade."

Han took control. "This baby's got a few surprises left in her, sweetheart !"

Leia wiped the sweat off her brow. "Someday, you're going to be wrong, and I hope I'll be there to see it !"

Mina shot a smirk towards Leia. "Oh, don't worry, you'll be there when it happens."

Before Vader could do anything, the Falcon had gone through the cave's entrance, towards deep space. Out in the snow plains, Luke saw the Falcon taking to space while R2 delivered his X-Wing. "R2, get her ready for takeoff !"

Wedge waved his friend goodbye. "Good luck, Luke ! See you at the rendezvous !"

Once Luke was inside his X-Wing, R2 couldn't help but beep a series of nervous remarks. "Don't worry, R2. We're going, we're going !" The ship soon sped off into deep space.

 **Deep Space**

Luke quickly changed his destination, something that R2 certainly didn't miss. He quickly beeped his disagreement. "There's nothing wrong, R2. I'm just setting a new course. We're not going to regroup with the others. We're going to the Dagobah system."

Luke's X-Wing sped off into hyperspace… to unknown destinations.

 **So the Rebels have lost Echo Base. Where they set up next is truly a mystery. While Luke heads out to Dagobah to meet with Yoda to learn more about the Force… Han, Chewie, Leia and Mina will be busy enough running away from the Imperial fleet. Mina's no fool, she'll soon see that Han and Leia are slowly getting closer, despite being often at odds with each other. She'll know well to steer clear and let the Force do its work. Meanwhile, Vader will be contacted by Emperor Palpatine, making him aware of both Luke and Mina's potential as assets to the Dark Side. Feel free to leave a review.**


	9. Luke meets his new Master

**In Deep Space…**

The Millennium Falcon flew at maximum speed while being pursued by a Star Destroyer. Inside the cockpit, all 4 Rebels held tight as the ship was being attacked by pursuing Tie-Fighters.

Han had his hands full as it was. "I saw them ! I saw them !"

Leia fought against panic. "Saw _what_?"

Han pointed to the radar. "Star Destroyers ! Two of them coming right at us !"

C3PO thought it might be wise to alert the pilot of the "issue" he didn't press earlier. "Sir ! Sir ! Might I suggest…"

Han didn't have time to listen to C3PO's usual banter. "Shut him up or shut him down !" He motioned to Leia. He turned his attention to Chewie. "Check the deflector shield !"

Chewie let out a roar while adjusting a switch. Mina knew what he meant. "Deflector shield is pretty much fried, Han. We're gonna need a miracle right about now !"

Han turned over the controls to Mina. "I've had my fill of flight for now ! Snips, take over !"

Mina quickly took her seat. "Ok, everybody, I'm gonna pull an "Anakin" now… So, hang on tight !"

Han raised an eyebrow. "What the heck is that supposed to mean ?!"

"I'll attempt to outmaneuver them by spinning around, hopefully avoiding all blasts as I pull this off !" Mina explained.

Mina spun the ship around the two approaching Star Destroyers, almost having them collide with the first one pursuing them.

"Take evasive action !" The Imperials held on to their seats as the alarms blared as they came so close to colliding with each other.

As the Falcon spun around the blasts, Han couldn't believe Mina's "luck" at avoiding them. "I didn't teach you to fly like this ! Where did you learn to fly this crazily ?!"

Mina quickly looked over her shoulder. "My Mom taught me. She learnt those moves from Anakin Skywalker himself, whom was a great Hero during the Clone Wars."

"He must've been suicidal as well ! Ok, we've overstayed our welcome. Mina, make the jump to light-speed !" Han ordered.

"Calculations are in ! Here we go !" Mina was about to flick a switch.

C3PO pleaded with Han. "But, sir !"

Even Leia being to feel worried. "They're getting closer !"

Han shot her a grin. "Oh, yeah ? Watch this. Hit it, Mina !"

Mina flicked the switch to enter light-speed, but the engine made an odd noise.

Leia pointed at the switch Mina pulled. "Watch _what_?!"

Mina pulled the switch again. The same reaction. "This _has_ to be the slowest jump to light-speed I've ever seen ! Is it just me or we're just not going anywhere ?"

Han felt sweat trickle down his forehead. "I think we're in trouble."

Mina shot him a glare. "You don't say ! I would never have guessed ! What the heck is going on ?!"

C3PO finally blurted out the problem. "If I may say so, sir. I've noticed earlier that the hyperdrive motivator is damaged ! It's impossible to go to light-speed !"

Han pointed at Mina. "Pilot as best as you can, huh ? And no, no more "Anakin" stunts, you hear me ?" He looked at Leia. "Keep an eye on her, huh ? Me and Chewie are gonna fix things up !"

As Mina zigzagged around the blasts, Han and Chewie were doing their best to fix up the motivator. Han was in a small shaft, surrounded by leaking pipes. "Horizontal Boosters… !" "Alluvial dampers… ? Ow ! That's not it ! Bring me the hydrospanners !"

Once Chewie brought Han the necessary tools, he reached up to pick them up. "I don't know _how_ we're gonna get out of this one !"

As Han went back to work, a blow caused his toolbox to fall on his head. "Ow ! Chewie !"

A strong blast caused Han to step out of the shaft. "That was no laser blast ! Something hit us !"

His comlink buzzed to life with Leia's voice. "Han, get up here ! Mina needs a hand !"

Han urged the Wookie to rush to the cockpit. "Come on, Chewie !"

As they arrived, they could see Mina was quite uncomfortable. "There's a _lot_ of things I can do with a ship, but flying around asteroids isn't one of them !"

Han cracked his knuckles, pulling Mina off the chair. "Ok, Mina, sit back there." He turned to his first-mate. "Chewie, set 2-7-1."

Realization sunk into Leia. "What are you doing ? You not thinking of going into an asteroid field ?!"

"They'd be crazy to follow us, wouldn't they ?" Han focused on his flight, avoiding any and all direct hits with the oncoming asteroids.

"You don't have to do this to impress me !" Leia pleaded.

Mina grabbed her friends' shoulders, rubbing them gently. "He's in his "zone". Let him fly. Have faith in his abilities."

C3PO just burst in panic. "Sir, the possibility of successfully navigating an asteroid field is approximately 3720 to 1 !"

Han quickly looked over his shoulder. "Never tell me the odds !"

As Han flew the Falcon around the countless asteroids, 4 Tie-Fighters still pursued them through the belt. The first 2 Tie-Fighters either crashed right into an asteroid or ripped one of their wings, sending them spinning towards another oncoming asteroid.

All but Han flinched and covered their eyes as he spun around countless asteroids while avoiding fire from the last 2 Tie-Fighters. For once, Han doubted his abilities. "You said you wanted to be around when I made a mistake, this could be it, sweetheart !"

"I take it back ! We're going to get pulverized if we stay out here much longer." Leia held on to her seat and braced herself.

Even Han knew her suggestion made sense. "I can't argue with that. I'm going closer to one of the big ones."

Leia did a double-take. "Closer ?"

Han flew the Falcon around an extra-large asteroid, skimming the surface and tilting the ship vertically in order to pass into a narrow trench. The Tie-Fighters, unable to switch their flight in such enclosed space, collided with each other, ending the current Imperial threat.

C3PO was nearly in hysterics. "Oh, this is suicide !"

Chewie noticed something on the radar, pointing at it, it caught Han's gaze.

"There. That looks pretty good."

Leia couldn't make sense of what he meant. "What looks pretty good ?"

Mina read the scans. "I see it. There's a large crater in the middle of the asteroid. We can hide there and wait for the Star Destroyers to pass."

Han agreed with Mina's idea. "Yeah. That'll do nicely."

C3PO was so confused. "Excuse me, Ma'am, but where are we going ?"

The Falcon flew down the crater, which seemed to be a never-ending cave.

Leia managed to regain some calm. "I hope you know what you're doing."

"Yeah. Me too." Han flew his ship into a new cave, which conveniently opened as they approached.

 **Dagobah**

Having traveled through hyperspace for several hours, Luke finally reached the mysterious system of Dagobah. In orbit, it appeared green enshrouded in fog.

Luke knew this was the place he would find Yoda. "Yes, that's it. Dagobah."

R2 beeped a question, to which Luke quickly replied. "No, I'm not going to change my mind about this." He looked over to the planet readings. "I'm not picking up any cities or technology. Massive life readings, though. There's something alive down there."

Luke chuckled as R2 beeped another of his questions. "Yes, I'm sure it's perfectly safe for droids."

Once they entered the atmosphere, the thick fog kept them from seeing where they were landing. R2 beeped frantically. "I know ! I know ! All the scopes are dead ! I can't see a thing ! Just hang on, I'm gonna start the landing cycle…"

Moments later, Luke's X-Wing landed straight in the middle of a swamp. Once he opened his compartment, all that Luke could see was swampy marshlands, with an array of odd creatures going about their business. Seeing that his ship was half-sunk into the muddy waters, Luke tossed his gloves on the control board, clearly frustrated.

As Luke ventured forth, R2 wanted to join him. Luke looked over his shoulder. "No, R2. You stay put. I'll have a look around."

A slight tremor sent R2 tumbling into the waters. Luke quickly turned around, looking for the astromech. "R2 ? R2 ! Where are you ?"

Seconds later, R2's periscope surfaced, gazing at the odd terrain. He goes off to a certain direction, whistling blissfully.

Luke rolled his eyes at the droid's carelessness. "You be more careful." He pointed to the nearby shore. "R2 ? That way…"

As R2 ventured around the waters some more, a creature from the swamp ambushed him, trying to devour him. Luke quickly took out his blaster, trying to locate his droid under the boggy waters. "R2 !"

All became silent for a moment, until the creature spat R2 onto the shore, having crash against some roots. Luke quickly ran to him. "Are you all right ?" He helped the droid back on its feet. "Come on, it's lucky you don't taste very good. Anything broken ?"

R2 beeped a series of whistles, signaling he was fine. Luke sat by him, beginning to wonder if the trip was really worth it. "If you're saying that coming here was a bad idea, I'm beginning to agree with you. Oh, R2, what are we doing here ? It's like… something out of a dream… or I don't know… Maybe I'm just going crazy."

R2 proceeded to "vomit" the excess mud and water that accumulated in his system, to the surprise and disgust of Luke.

 **Aboard the Executor, Vader's Meditation Chamber**

Admiral Piett walked around Vader's special chamber. Looking inside, he glanced at Vader's bald head, covered with scars, before his helmet was fitted again. Once Vader was ready, he turned his seat to face Piett. "What is it, Admiral ?"

Piett nervously spoke. "Our ships have sighted the Millennium Falcon, my Lord… But it has entered an asteroid field and we cannot risk…"

Vader shrugged his shoulders. "Asteroids do not concern me, Admiral. I want that ship, not excuses."

Piett bowed. "Yes, my Lord." He went off to the bridge to continue their search.

 **Asteroid Cave**

For the time being, the crew of the Millennium Falcon was safe from Imperial troubles. The ship rested in a dark, dank area of the cave. It was so dark, it was impossible to determine the height or width of the cave. While Leia stayed at the cockpit, Han, Mina and Chewie were working to shut down all of the ship's main controls.

"We're going to shut down everything but the emergency power system." He said to the other two.

C3PO was by their side, he had reasons to be fearful. "Sir, I'm almost afraid to ask, but does that include shutting me down as well ?"

Han pointed to the damaged hyperdrive. "No, I need you to talk to the Falcon, find out what's wrong with the hyperdrive."

A tremor sent Leia crashing to the side. "Oof !"

C3PO suddenly figured out something. "Sir, it's quite possible this asteroid is not entirely stable."

Han groaned inwardly. "Not entirely stable ? I'm glad you're here to tell us these things ! Snips, take the "professor" in the back and plug him into the hyperdrive, will you ? I'll go check up on the Princess."

Once Han walked in the cockpit, Leia gave him a stern look. "What just happened ?"

"Not sure, but 3PO thinks the asteroid isn't quite stable. So much good that'll do to us, huh ?"

Another tremor sent Han tumbling into Leia, holding her tightly. "Let go. Let go, please !" She pleaded.

Han just held on. "Don't get excited !"

She quickly whipped to him, a frown on her face. "Captain, being held by you isn't quite enough to get me excited !"

He finally left her. "Sorry, sweetheart. We haven't got time for anything else." He left off with a mischievous grin on his face.

Leia on her end, just took back the seat and silently cursed her luck for being stranded with Han. Her thoughts burst once she heard Mina walking in, holding a cup of caf for her, as well as one for herself. "Are you all right ? Those tremors seemed to have stopped. I wish I really knew what's causing them. Drink this, it ought to bring your spirits back up."

Leia kindly accepted her cup. "Thank you. Can I ask you something ?"

Mina made herself comfortable, taking a sip. "Sure. What's on your mind ?"

"Has Han ever… made a pass at you ?"

Mina almost burst into laughter. "No, he hasn't. Guess he doesn't have a thing for Togruta. Which is fine in my book. He seems to be taking a shine to you, though."

Leia sighed deeply. "So I've noticed. Trouble is, I'm not too wild about him right now…"

Mina placed a comforting hand on her friend's shoulder. "Give it time. Maybe the two of you will eventually find common ground. I mean, look at my parents. When they were teens, they were at odds with each other since they came from different governments. Years later, they met again and sparks flew.

I can say this about Han : He doesn't have an ounce of evil in him. Sure, he does tend to look out for himself more at times, but he's got good intentions at the end of the day. Give him a chance. Perhaps you two are meant for each other. All it takes are the right actions or right words to get a relationship going."

Leia gleamed over at the darkness. "I don't know… It's risky to have a relationship during this conflict…"

Mina pointed to herself. "My parents hit it off as they began to plan the Rebel Alliance. See what came out of their relationship ? I think it's worth the risk. You only need faith in each other. When he goes away for a mission, for example, don't despair that you'd never see him again. Instead, have faith that he'll be safe and sound. See where I'm getting ?"

Leia nodded. "Yes, I see your point, Mina. But I'm not quite ready to accept him so willingly. I need more time to think things through."

Mina took her last sip of caf and left off to join the boys. "What more can you do during this downtime now ? Think away !"

 **Swamps of Dagobah**

Luke had gathered the last of his equipment to make encampment. R2 just stood there waiting. He beeped a notice to Luke.

Luke had quickly caught on to Binary. "Ready for some power ?" Luke started up his generator and grabbed a large tube to transmit needed energy. "Okay ? Let's see now… If I put that in there ? There you go !" R2 whistled a reply, stating things were good.

Luke sat near R2 and grabbed a snack from his rations pack. "Now all I have to do is find this Yoda… if he even exists." He gazed around at the swamplands. "Still, there's something familiar about this place… It feels like…"

"Feels like what ?" A voice called out from the side.

Luke quickly spun around with his blaster. He faced an odd little green alien, dressed in rags. "Like we're being watched !"

"Away with your weapon. I mean you no harm. I am wondering… why are you here ?" The alien held on to a small wooden cane.

Luke, still unwilling to lower his guard, stashed his blaster but kept his eyes locked on the alien. "I'm looking for someone."

The alien chuckled in response. "Looking ? Found someone, I would say, hmm ?"

In Luke's mind, no way could this silly alien be Yoda. "Right."

"Help you, I can. Yes. Hmm." He certainly had a wizened look to him.

Luke scoffed at him. "I don't think so. I'm looking for a great warrior."

"A great warrior ? Wars make not one great." He walked down from his branch over to Luke's supplies, looking over them with great interest. He finally takes the snack Luke was eating and took a quick bite.

Of course, Luke wasn't pleased. "Put that down ! Hey ! That's my dinner !"

The alien found the taste repugnant. " _These new rations, terrible they are. Tasted much better, rations of the Old Republic did !_ " He looked up to Luke. "How you get so big, eating food of this kind ?"

Luke was starting to get irritated. "Listen, friend, we didn't mean to land in that puddle. If I could get my ship out, I would. But I can't, so why don't you just…"

The alien just rummaged through a storage container, tossing parts aside. "Aww, cannot get your ship out ?"

"Hey, you could have broken this ! Don't do that. Ohh… You're making a mess !" Luke noticed the alien really taking interest in a tiny power lamp. "Hey, give me that !"

The alien backed away, holding on to the lamp. "Mine ! Or I will help you not !"

Luke refused the offer. "I don't want your help. I want my lamp back. I'll need it to get out of this slimy mudhole."

The alien seemed slightly insulted. "Slimy ? Mudhole ? My home, this is !"

As they were both arguing, R2 rolled over around the alien and tried to snatch the lamp away using a pincer. The two engaged in a tug-of-war over the lamp. He grabbed his cane and tapped away at the astromech. "Mine ! Mine ! Mine !"

Luke knew he's better let the alien have his new "toy". "R2, let him have it ! R2 !"

R2 finally let go and retracted his pincer. The alien tapped him with his cane one last time, chuckling. " _Still operational you are. Hmm. As wild as your old Master, you have become, hmm ? Shame with happened to him. Great shame._ "

Luke tried to shoo the alien away. "Now, will you move along, little fella ? I've got lots of work to do."

The alien shook his head. "No, no, no ! Stay and help you, I will. Find your friend, hmm ?"

Luke finally blurted out his reason for coming here. "I'm not looking for a friend. I'm looking for a Jedi Master."

Suddenly, the alien's careless expression changed to a serious one. "Ohh. Yoda. You seek Yoda !"

Luke finally got the feeling he was on the right track. "You know him ?"

He just laughed in response. "Take you to him, I will." He motioned Luke to follow him through the swamp. "Yes, yes. But now, we must eat. Come. Good food. Come."

In moments, all that Luke can see through the thick fog is the light of his power lamp. He finally decides to follow the alien. "R2, stay here and watch over the camp."

R2 beeped and whistled nervously as he looked in all directions, sensing lifeforms everywhere.

 **Inside the Millennium Falcon**

"Oh, where is R2 when I need him ?" C3PO definitely had trouble understanding the beeps of the control panel before him. He turned to see Han coming towards him. "Sir, I don't know where your ship learned to communicate, but it has the most peculiar dialect. I believe, sir, it says that the power coupling on the negative axis has been polarized. I'm afraid you'll have to replace it."

For Han, this was obvious. "Of course, I'll have to replace it." He handed a set of wires to Chewie, whom was working in a compartment in the ceiling. "Here ! And Chewie… I think we'd better replace the negative power couplings."

In the next room, Leia had finished to reengage a system and needed to pull a lever near the valve. As much as she tried, the lever wasn't budging. Han, noticing her struggle, walked over and tried to give her a hand. Once Leia felt his hands around her, she rudely shoved him off her. Han backed away. "Hey, Your Worphip, I'm only trying to help !"

Leia was really getting tired in these silly nicknames. "Would you please stop calling me that ?" She struggled with the lever some more and finally placing it in place, but not without slightly pinching her thumb in the process.

"Sure, Leia."

"Oh, you make it so difficult sometimes !" She kissed her thumb, trying to relieve some of the pain.

He knew she was right. "I do, I really do. You could be a little bit nicer, though." He noticed as her expression softened slightly. "Come on, admit it. Sometimes, you think I'm all right."

She looked at him, smiling a bit. "Occasionally… when you aren't acting like a scoundrel."

Han grabbed her hand and began to massage it gently. "Scoundrel ? Scoundrel ? I like the sound of that."

Leia still didn't like being touched by him. "Stop that."

Han played the fool. "Stop what ?"

She motioned to her hands. "Stop that, my hands are dirty."

Han couldn't help but smirk. "My hands are dirty too. What are you afraid of ?"

"Afraid ?"

"You're trembling." Han noted.

She shook her head. "I'm not trembling."

Han got closer to her face. "You like me because I'm a scoundrel. There aren't enough scoundrels in your life."

Leia locked her eyes on him. "I happen to like nice men."

"I'm a nice man." Han argued, almost reaching her lips.

"No, you're not. You're…" Leia's words were cut off as Han finally moved in and kissed her. For the moment, she seemed to enjoy it.

Of course, C3PO had to ruin the moment by interrupting them. "Sir ! Sir ! I've isolated the reverse power flux coupling !"

Han quickly broke off from the kiss, looking at the droid. "Thank you, thank you very much."

"Oh, you're perfectly welcome, sir !" C3PO walked off to resume his repairs.

Broken away from the sudden kiss, Leia slowly walked away from Han. " _What did I just do ?! Guess Mina saw it coming afterall…_ "

 **Aboard the Executor**

Asteroids were being blasted by the Imperial fleet as they advanced through the field.

Vader sat in his meditation chamber, busy communicating with Captain Needa, whom was the closest to find and capture the Millennium Falcon.

Needa's hologram fazed in and out. "…and that, Lord Vader, was the last time they appeared on the scopes. Considering the amount of damage we've sustained, they must have been damaged."

Vader wasn't going to let his quarry get away so easily. "No, Captain, they're alive. I want every ship available to sweep the asteroid field until they are found."

Needa' hologram bowed before disappearing. "Yes, my Lord."

As Needa's hologram fazed out, Admiral Piett's appeared in its place.

"What is it, Admiral ?"

Admiral Piett's face was pale. Something was frightening him. "The Emperor commands that you make contact with him."

"Move the ship out of the asteroid field, so we can send a clear transmission."

Piett's hologram bowed before disappearing. "Yes, my Lord."

Once the ship was free of the asteroids, all the lights went out in Vader's chamber. He stepped on a pedestal, kneeling. The hologram of his Master, Darth Sidious appeared. "What is thy bidding, my Master ?"

The Emperor peered down to his Apprentice. "There is a great disturbance in the Force."

Vader only nodded. "I have felt it."

Palpatine went to the point. "We have some new enemies. Luke Skywalker and Mina Bonteri. The son of Anakin Skywalker and the daughter of Ahsoka Tano."

Vader seemed surprised. "Can it be true ? The daughter must have been born following the Clone Wars. And Skywalker had a son ?"

Palpatine still feared the Prophecy of the Chosen One, believing it could be Luke. "Search your feelings, Lord Vader. You know it to be true. They could destroy us."

"They are but children, Obi-Wan can no longer help them." Vader argued.

Palpatine tried to peer into Vader's thoughts. "The Force is strong with them. The daughter has been gifted with rigorous training from her mother, who survived the Clone Wars and Order 66. She could pass on her knowledge to young Skywalker. The daughter of Skywalker's Apprentice must not be able to help the son of Skywalker to become a Jedi. Do not underestimate their abilities."

Vader suddenly came up with an idea to turn the tide. "If they could be turned, they would become powerful allies."

Palpatine considered the plan. "Yes, yes. They could be great assets. Can it be done ?"

"They will join us, or die, my Master." Vader bowed as Palpatine's hologram fazed off.

 **While Luke is about to receive some training with the Force from Yoda, the crew of the Millennium Falcon will have unexpected trouble when they arrive at Bespin. Feel free to leave a review.**


	10. Successful Escape from the Empire ?

**Swamps of Dagobah**

Inside the short alien's home, Luke, sitting cross-legged on the floor, watched as his host prepared a meal from the many plants found on Dagobah. "Look, I'm sure it's delicious. I just don't understand why we can't see Yoda now."

The alien looked over his shoulder. He brought over two plates filled with his specially prepared recipe. "Patience. For the Jedi, it is time to eat as well, yes ? Eat, eat while hot ! Good food, hmm ? Good, hmm ?"

Luke took a taste and found himself pleasantly surprised. "It's different, but good ! How far away is Yoda ? Will it take us long to get there ?"

The alien host took a seat next to Luke, helping himself with a serving. "Not far. Yoda not far. Patience. Soon, you will be with him. Rootleaf, I cook. Why wish you become Jedi, hmm ?"

"Mostly because of my father, I guess." Luke answered.

The alien surprised Luke with his comment. "Ah, your father. A powerful Jedi, was he. Powerful Jedi, hmm."

Luke couldn't tell if the alien was mocking him. "Oh, come on. How could you know who my father is ? You don't even know who I am !" Luke suddenly let out a burst of anger, slamming his fists on the table. "Oh, I don't know what I'm doing here ! We're wasting our time !"

He reacted by turning away, muttering but not out of Luke's earshot. "I cannot teach him. The boy has no patience."

At that moment, it dawned on Luke that the little alien right in front of him is the great Jedi Master Obi-Wan hinted at in his vision on Hoth. Yoda.

Obi-Wan's disembodied voice rang through Yoda's home. "He will learn patience."

Yoda turned back to face Luke. "Hmm, much anger in him. Like his father."

Of course, Obi-Wan had to counter with some good examples. "Oh ? Don't you recall how I was with Qui-Gon ? How about Anakin under my tutelage ? Or even Ahsoka under his at first ? We've all had our little fears and frustrations at first, if you remember ?"

Yoda peered into Luke's eyes, sensing the fear. "Hah ! He is not ready !"

Luke obviously didn't agree with Yoda's initial opinion. "Yoda, I am ready. I… Ben ! I can be a Jedi. Ben, tell him I'm ready !" Luke excitedly tried to stand up, bumping his head on the low ceiling.

Yoda stabbed Luke gently with his cane. "Ready, are you ? What know you of ready ? For 800 years, I have trained Younglings and some Apprentices. My own counsel will I keep on who is to be trained ! A Jedi must have the deepest commitment, the most serious mind. You, a long time have I watched. All your life as you looked away… to the future, to the horizon. Never your mind on where you were, hmm ? Or what you were doing, hmm ? Adventure ? Hah ! Excitement ? Hah ! A Jedi craves not these things. You are reckless !"

Obi-Wan cleared his throat. "I'm pretty sure I had caused some discontent when I stood too close to Qui-Gon's ideals ? And weren't Anakin and Ahsoka's often plain disregard of orders a source of headaches for yourself and the rest of the High Council ?"

Yoda turned back his attention to Luke. "He is too old ! Too old to begin the training !"

"That never stopped the High Council to take in Anakin at 9 years old, did it ? He had great potential. His son here even more !" Obi-Wan countered.

Luke pleaded to Yoda. "But I've learned so much."

Yoda finally ceded to Luke's pleadings. "Hmm. Teach you how to control the Force, I can. How to fight with a lightsaber, another teacher, you will seek." He looked up to where Obi-Wan's voice was heard. "Will he finish what he begins ?"

Luke was definitely itching to prove himself, much like all the Jedi Padawans and Knights of the Old Republic. "I won't fail you… I'm not afraid."

Yoda knew the boy had some major trials coming. "Oh, you will be. You will be."

 **Outer Space, Asteroid Field**

As the Executor blasted any and all asteroids in its path, several Tie-Bombers swept over the asteroid field, hoping to get the Millennium Falcon out of its hiding place.

Inside the Millennium Falcon's cockpit, Leia sat alone, lost in her thoughts. A quick glance towards the viewport caught sight of what appeared to be a creature's wing. Curious, Leia stood up and crept closer to the window. To her shock and horror, she suddenly noticed 3 eyes staring back at her. Startled, she ran out of the cockpit and met with the 4 others, who were busy finishing up repairs.

Mina quickly noticed her friend's fear. "You look like you've seen a ghost. What's wrong ?"

Leia pointed towards the cockpit. "There's something out there !"

Han raised an eyebrow. "Where ?"

"Outside, in the cave !"

Mina's montrals caught the sounds of whatever creatures were lurking about. "I know I've heard those sounds before… But I can't quite place my finger on what they are…"

C3PO, hearing the banging on the hull, panicked. "There it is ! Listen ! Listen !"

"I'm going out there !" Han quickly reached for his blaster.

"Are you crazy ?!" Leia just stood there, thinking there could be some dangerous creatures waiting for them.

"I just got this bucket back together, I'm not going to let something tear it apart. Come on, Chewie, Snips, let's check it out !" They all reached for breathing masks on their way out.

Leia, not wanting to be left alone with C3PO, went after them. "Then I'm going with you all !"

C3PO didn't have a problem staying behind. "I think it might be better if I stay here and guard the ship." Another bang was heard from the hull. "Oh, no."

As the four exited the ship, they saw they were enshrouded in mist. The moment Leia stepped forward, she knew it wasn't normal. "The ground sure feels strange. It doesn't feel like rock at all."

Mina huddled herself. "It's like if we're inside some living creature."

Han disagreed with her sentiment. "Not likely… Though there's an awful lot of moisture in here."

Leia carefully walked around, making sure not to step too heavily. "I don't know. I have a bad feeling about this."

Chewie let out a roar, pointing a large figure attached to the cockpit. Once it was shot down, Han knelt over to take a closer look. "What the ? Mynock. That's what I thought. Chewie, Mina, check the rest of the ship. Make sure there are no other attached. They tend to chew on the power cables."

Mina slapped her forehead. "Mynocks ! Of course ! I knew those sounds were familiar !"

Leia took a few steps back, disgusted. "Mynocks ?"

Han sent Leia back. "Go on inside. The 3 of us can clean them off if there's more."

Several mynocks then attempted to attack the 4 by swooping into them. Leia quickly covered her head while Mina covered her montrals. Chewie had managed to shoot down a couple more as they flew around the cockpit, terrorizing C3PO.

"Ohh ! Go away ! Go away ! Beastly little things ! Shoo ! Shoo !"

Suddenly, Han wondered about Mina's first impression. "Wait a minute…" He shot at the cave's "floor", causing the ground to turn. "Mina, I'm beginning to think you were right ! Come on, let's get back inside !"

The 4 struggled to reach the boarding ramp as the ground twisted some more. Chewie and Mina raced for the cockpit. Han tailing after them. "Chewie, Mina, get the ship running ! Pronto !"

Leia tagged behind, holding on to the ramps as the ship was rocked by the twisting and turning of the "cave". "The Empire is still out there ! I don't think it's wise to…"

Han quickly cut her argument short. "We don't have time to discuss this with the Committee !"

Leia's temper flared up. "I AM NOT A COMMITTEE !"

Once all 4 reached the cockpit, they all strapped themselves. The tremors in the cave had stopped. Leia could see still a lot of asteroids from outside the cave. "You can't make the jump to light-speed in this asteroid field…"

Han held her by the shoulders. "Sit down, sweetheart. We're taking off !"

"We might have a problem, Han !" Mina pointed to the sight before them. What appeared to be stalactites and stalagmites were slowly closing together.

"The cave is collapsing !" Leia pointed.

Finally, Han knew the real truth. "This is no cave !"

Leia couldn't believe her ears. "WHAT ?!"

Mina provided the explanation. "They're teeth ! We were inside a giant space slug ! And if we keep up our speed, we'll make it out of here just in time ! Hold on, everybody !"

Mina expertly flew the Falcon around its teeth, escaping the slug's grasp as they were back into the asteroid field. She wiped the sweat from her forehead. "Phew ! That was too close !"

 **Swamps of Dagabah**

With Yoda strapped onto his back, Luke did his training course. It consisted of swinging from vine to vine, running through the swampy terrain, jumping over roots, etc…

Yoda could see that Luke was channeling some of his energy through the Force. "Run ! Yes. A Jedi's strength flows from the Force. But beware of the Dark Side. Anger… Fear… Aggression. The Dark Side of the Force, are they. Easily they flow, quick to join you in a fight. If once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny. Consume you, it will. As it did Obi-Wan's Apprentice."

Luke knew whom Yoda was referring to. "Vader. Is the Dark Side stronger ?"

Yoda shook his head. "No… No… No. Quicker, easier, more seductive."

Luke looked over his shoulder, uncertain of himself. "But how will I know the good side from the bad ?"

"You will know. When you are calm, at peace. Passive. A Jedi uses the Force for knowledge and defense, never for attack." Yoda reassured.

There was still so much that wasn't clear for Luke. "But tell me why I can't…"

Yoda could tell that Luke had his fill of training for the day. "No, no, there is no why. Nothing more will I teach you today. Clear your mind of questions. Mmm."

Luke knelt to the ground, allowing Yoda to climb down. He looked at a particular area, sensing something out of place. The majority of Dagobah was serene, peaceful. This particular area reeked of darkness. "There's something not right here." He pointed to a dark cave that lead beneath some roots. "I feel cold, death."

"That place… is strong with the Dark Side of the Force. A domain of evil, it is. In, you must go." Yoda pointed with his cane.

Luke threw another glance to the cave then back at Yoda. "What's in there ?"

"Only what you take with you." Yoda noticed Luke strapping his utility belt, which held his lightsaber. "Your weapons, you will not need them." Yoda warned.

Unconvinced, Luke kept his utility belt and ventured inside the cave. It was cold, wet and dark. He couldn't see beyond several feet of himself. Eventually, a sound caught his attention. Mechanical breathing. Stepping out of the darkness, Darth Vader slowly advanced towards Luke, his red lightsaber ignited. Luke quickly ignited his own and took a fighting stance. At first, he parried one of Vader's blows. He then swung upwards, decapitating the Sith Lord. As Vader's body crumbled onto the ground, his masked head rolled conveniently near Luke's feet. The mask opened from the front to reveal… Luke's face ! This sight bothered the boy. He became weary of his future.

" _No ! This can't be ! It's a trick ! I can't become evil like him… Can I ?_ "

Outside the cave, Yoda sat, calmly taking in the boy's experience.

 **Aboard the Executor**

On the bridge, Darth Vader had gathered a small group of bounty hunters. The Trandoshan, Bossk, Dengar and Boba Fett, both normal humans, the insect-like Zuckuss and finally, the Assassin Droid, IG-88.

Admiral Piett watched them with discomfort. "Bounty Hunters. We don't need that scum."

One of the officers working under him pointed to his console. "Sir, we have a priority signal from the Star Destroyer Avenger."

As the Imperials listened to the Avenger's message, Vader was in the middle of giving definite orders to the bounty hunters. "There will be a substantial reward to the one who finds the Millennium Falcon. You are free to use any methods necessary, but I want them alive." He pointed specifically at Fett, well aware of his reputation. "No disintegrations."

Fett bowed before the Sith Lord, sure that he'd make the catch. "As you wish."

Piett ran to Vader, quickly telling the "good" news. "Lord Vader ! My Lord, we have them !"

 **Asteroid Field, in pursuit by the Avenger**

The Millennium Falcon spun and swerved around the blasts from the Star Destroyer while avoiding collision with the larger asteroids. The ship was being severely shaken by the blasts. Even Mina knew they weren't out of the danger zone yet. "Out of the frying pan and into the fire, huh ? Or is it the other way around ?"

"We're not going to stay here longer than we have to. Ok, we're clear of the asteroids. Mina, get ready to jump to light-speed in… 3… 2… 1 ! Punch it, Mina !" Han ordered.

Mina pulled the lever. Once again, the odd whining noise was heard. She slammed her head on the console board. "For Kriff's Sake ! You have got to be kidding me ! All that work and it's still not working ?!"

Han was on the verge of pulling his hair out in frustration. "It's not fair !"

Chewie let out some bark and growls towards Mina. She pulled the lever again, to witness the same results. "Now, listen here, you overgrown hairball, we _all_ worked to fix her up ! It's not my fault, it's not Han's and it's certainly not yours either ! The issue is elsewhere ! And right now, we don't have time to comb through the ship to find out what it is ! So we'll have to doge those stinking Imperials some more !"

"The transfer circuits are working. It's not our fault !" Han argued.

Leia was clearly unimpressed by the crew. "No light-speed ?"

"It's not our fault !" Han ran a hand through his hair, clearly annoyed.

C3PO had to bring up more issues. "Sir, we just lost the main rear deflector shield ! One more direct hit on the back quarter and we're done for !"

Han knew it was time to stop running. "Enough dodging, Mina. Turn the ship around and put all the power to the front shield."

Mina did a double-take. "W-what ?! Did you hit your head back when we were trying to fix her up ?!"

Han winked at her. "Trust me, I have an idea."

Mina took a deep breath. "Hopefully, it's a good one. Ok, everybody, hang on ! I'm turning her around !"

C3PO couldn't help but argue against the idea. "Sir, the odds of surviving a direct assault with an Imperial Star Destroyer…"

Even Leia was sick of his pointless banter. "Shut up !"

As the Millennium Falcon sped towards the bridge of the Avenger, Captain Needa took the necessary precautions. "They're moving in to attack position ! Shields up !"

Everyone ducked on the bridge as the Falcon flew right above the bridge. Needa turned to his tracking officer. "Track them ! They may come around for another pass."

The tracking officer was immediately stumped. "Captain Needa, the ship no longer appears on our scopes."

Needa couldn't believe it. "They can't have disappeared ! No ship that small has a cloaking device !"

The tracking officer pointed to his screen. "Well, there's no trace of them, sir."

Needa's luck worsened when his communication officer turned to him. "Captain, Lord Vader demands an update on the pursuit."

Needa swallowed a lump in his throat. "Get a shuttle ready. I shall assume full responsibility for losing them, and apologise to Lord Vader. Meanwhile, continue to scan the area."

The communication officer assumed temporary control of the bridge. "Yes, Captain Needa."

 **Swamps of Dagobah**

Luke kept on practicing his skills with the Force. For the current exercise, Luke was standing upside-down, on his hands. Yoda sat on his feet. "Use the Force. Yes…"

While he was standing in this position, Luke had to focus to lift a large stone nearby, using the Force. The exercise definitely caused some strain on him both physically and mentally. Luke then managed to hold himself with only one hand.

Yoda, pleased with Luke's current control and balance, had him move to the second part of the exercise. "Now… the stone. Feel it."

As Luke is about to complete his exercise, R2's sudden beeps broke him out of his concentration. He noticed that his X-Wing was sinking deeper and deeper into the swamp.

It was enough to cause Luke to lose control and have collapse on the ground. He ran over to the edge of the swamp, clearly disheartened by the further sinking of his ship. "Oh no, we'll never get it out now !"

"So certain are you ? Always it cannot be done. Hear you nothing that I say ?" Yoda himself was doubting Luke's potential to succeed.

Luke looked over to him, wanting to argue. "Master, moving stones around is one thing. This is totally different !"

Yoda planted his cane in the ground, irritated. "No ! No different ! Only different in your mind ! You must unlearn what you have learned."

Luke extended his hand towards the X-Wing. "All right, I'll give it a try."

Yoda shook his head. "No ! Try not. Do. Or do not. There is no try."

Luke focused enough to have it rise slightly, only to have it sink further and further. Clearly exhausted, Luke sat by the Jedi Master. "I can't. It's too big !"

"Size matters not. Look at me. Judge me by my size, do you ? Hmm ? Hmm ?"

Luke simply shook his head.

"And you should not. For my ally is the Force. And a powerful ally, it is. Life creates it, makes it grow. Its energy surrounds us and binds us. Luminous beings, we are…" Yoda gently pinched Luke's shoulder to make a point. "…not this crude matter. You must feel the Force around you. Here… between you… the rock… the trees, everywhere. Yes, even between this land and that ship !"

"You want the impossible !" Luke rose up, walked over to a distance, so he could sulk all he wanted.

Yoda turned his attention towards the X-Wing, using the Force to pry it out of its watery prison and pulling it towards land. R2's continuous beeps broke Luke out of his sulking. He ran over to Yoda, clearly shocked at the alien's feat.

"I… I don't believe it…"

Yoda sighed deeply. "That, is why you fail."

 **Aboard the Executor**

Captain Needa clutched at his throat, but it was in vain. It was crushed in an instant. Vader looked as the lifeless body of Needa slumped on the floor. "Apology accepted, Captain Needa." He motioned to a couple of officers to drag the body away.

Admiral Piett quickly raced to meet with Vader. "Lord Vader, our ships have completed their scan of the area and found nothing. If the Millennium Falcon went into light-speed, it'll be on the other side of the Galaxy by now."

"Alert all commands. Calculate every possible destination along their last known trajectory." Vader ordered.

Piett nervously bowed. "Yes, my Lord. We'll find them."

Vader pointed at him, hinting he'd soon find himself in Needa's position. Dead. "Don't fail me again, Admiral."

As Vader left off in the hall, Piett met with one of his subordinates. "Alert all commands. Deploy the Fleet."

 **Outer Space**

While the Super Star Destroyer and following Star Destroyers were getting ready to head out into hyperspace, the Millennium Falcon was attached to the back of the Avenger, to the Empire's blissful ignorance. It was also convenient that the Avenger was the last ship from the Fleet. Inside the cockpit of the Falcon, the crew discussed their next move.

Mina couldn't help but be amused at how easily they avoided detection. "We're clamped right behind the ship… and they can't seem to see us. I guess their tracking equipment definitely needs a serious upgrade."

Of course, C3PO wasn't thrilled. "Captain Solo, this time you have gone too far !" Chewie roared at him, but C3PO was having none of it. "No, I will not be quiet, Chewbacca ! Why doesn't anyone listen to me ?"

Han simply ignored C3PO's protests. "The fleet is beginning to break up. Mina, do you mind to go and stand by the manual release for the landing claw ?"

Mina quickly hopped off her chair, passing between Han and C3PO. "And here I thought you were going to give a hard task… Oh well, I can make myself a cup of caf on my way back."

"I really don't see how that is going to help. Surrender is a perfectly acceptable alternative in extreme circumstances. The Empire may be gracious enough…" Leia quickly found the switch and shut down C3PO… at least momentarily.

Suddenly, Han had gained more appreciation for Leia. "Thank you."

Leia held his shoulders. "What did you have in mind for your next move ?"

Han had obviously thought things ahead. "Well, if they follow standard Imperial procedure, they'll dump their garbage before they go to light-speed, then we just float away."

Even Leia agreed that it was a fool-proof plan. "With the rest of the garbage, huh ? Then what ?"

Han brought up a map screen. "Then we've got to find a safe port, somewhere around here. Got any ideas ?"

Looking at the screen, Leia didn't recognize the coordinates. "No. Where are we ?"

"The Anoat system." Han answered.

The name seemed to have rung a bell for Leia. "The Anoat system. There's not much here."

Han searched some more. "No. Well, wait. Now, this is interesting. Lando."

Leia raised an eyebrow. "Lando system ?"

Han just chuckled at her ignorance. "Lando's not a system. He's a man. Lando Carlissian. He's a card player, gambler, scoundrel. You'd like him."

" _Another guy like Han ? Great, what are we getting ourselves into ?_ " "Thanks."

Han looked over at the available information. "Bespin. It's pretty far, but I think we can make it."

Leia took her turn to read the info. "A mining colony ?"

Han nodded. "Yeah, a Tibanna gas mine. Lando conned somebody out of it. We go a long way, Lando and me."

A feeling gnawed into Leia's mind. "Can you trust him ?"

"No. But he has no love for the Empire, I can tell you that."

Looking through the cockpit, they could see pieces of garbage floating off. He contacted Mina through the intercom. "Here we go, Mina. Stand by. Detach !"

"Done and done ! Now I can get myself a well-deserved cup of caf. You guys want some ?" Mina queried.

Leia pressed the button to answer. "Why not ? We could use a drink right about now." She turned her attention back to Han. "You do have your moments. Not many, but you have them." She sneaked a kiss on Han's cheek as the Millennium Falcon just floated off with the garbage, as planned. As the last Star Destroyer entered light-speed, the Falcon sped towards Bespin.

Moments later, another ship, named Slave I, followed them discreetly. Boba Fett contacted the Empire. "I'm tracking them to Bespin. Make necessary prior arrangements and they're good as ours. Solo is as good as mine. Jabba will be pleased."

 **And another chapter done. The crew will meet up with Lando at Bespin, whom unsuccessfully tries to woo both Leia and Mina. On his end of things, Luke prepares himself for his first confrontation with Darth Vader. The trap is being set. Expect an action-packed chapter coming up soon. Feel free to leave a review.**


	11. Unexpected Betrayal

**Swamps of Dagobah**

Once again, Luke was training for his control over the Force. His current attempt seemed to be going much better than the previous. While he still stood on his hands, he was able to have some equipment cases and even R2 to float in the air. Yoda sat on the ground, keeping an eye on Luke's progress.

"Concentrate… Feel the Force flow. Yes. Good. Calm, yes. Through the Force, things you will see. Other places. The future… Old friends long gone."

Suddenly, Luke felt the blow of a Force vision. "Han ! Leia ! Mina !"

His episode caused him to lose focus, bringing down the cases and R2 to the ground with a loud crash, while he stumbled on the ground.

Yoda, slightly irritated by the interruption, looked over to Luke's distressed expression. "Hmm. Control, control. You must learn control."

Luke tried to recall what he saw. "I saw… I saw a city in the clouds."

Yoda, peering into the Force himself, was capable to decipher Luke's vision. "Hmm. Friends you have there."

Luke still shuddered by the emotions he felt. "They were in pain."

"It is the future you see." Yoda added.

A sense of dread filled Luke's mind. "Future ? Will they die ?"

Yoda closed his eyes and reached into the Force. "Difficult to see. Always in motion is the future."

Luke, distraught over the vision, wanted to prevent unpleasant events for his friends. "I've got to go to them."

"Decide you must, how to serve them best. If you leave now, help them you could. But you would destroy all for which they have fought and suffered." Yoda planted much fear and doubt into Luke with those words, causing the boy to take some extra time and think.

 **Cloud City, Bespin**

As the Millennium Falcon entered the atmosphere, a couple of vessels assaulted the ship.

Han tried to remain calm during his transmission. "No, I don't have a landing permit. I'm trying to reach Lando Calrissian." More blasts rocked the ship, causing Han to panic a bit. "Woah ! Wait a minute ! Let me explain !"

"You will not deviate from your present course." One of the escort pilots warned.

"Rather touchy, aren't they ?" C3PO remarked.

Leia was definitely worried about the situation. "I thought you knew this person."

While Chewie roared his agreement with Leia, Han thought he could calm his "old friend" down. "Well, that was a long time ago. I'm sure he's forgotten about that."

Mina leaned towards Han. "If Lando gives us attitude, just the fact that I'm Lux Bonteri's daughter will shut him up. Let me speak if he becomes troublesome, ok ?"

The escort pilot transmitted new instructions. "Permission granted to land on platform 327."

Han breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you." He turned to the rest of the crew. "There's nothing to worry about. We go way back, Lando and me."

Leia, unconvinced, tilted towards Han. "Who's worried ?"

The Millennium Falcon landed on the designated platform. As they were about to descend the boarding ramp, Han looked to his first-mate. "Keep your eyes open, huh ?"

As the 5 descended from the boarding ramp, Lando quickly greeted them. Just not in the way they expected to be welcomed. "Why, you slimy double-crossing, no-good swindler ! You've got a lot of guts coming back here… after what you've pulled !"

Han pointed to himself. "Me ?"

Lando slowly approached Han… when they least expected it, he wrapped his arms for a hug. Lando laughed at seeing Han's priceless face. "Ha ha ha ! How you doing, you old pirate ? So good to see you ! I never thought I'd catch up with you again ! Where you been ?"

C3PO quickly dismissed any worry concerning Lando. "Well… he seems very friendly."

Leia was still wary of this stranger. "Yes… very friendly."

Lando released Han from his hug. "What are you doing here ?"

Han pointed to the Falcon. "Ahh… repairs ? I thought you could help me out !"

Lando frowned at him. "What've you done to my ship ?"

Han scoffed back. "Your ship ? Hey, remember, you lost her to me fair and square !"

Seeing Chewie, Lando greeted him kindly. "How you doing, Chewbacca ? You still hangin' out with this loser ?"

Chewbacca growled a defense for Han.

Then Lando caught sight of Leia and Mina. "Hello. What have we here ? I'm Lando Calrissian. I'm the administrator of this facility. And who might you two be ?"

"Leia." She answered, faking a smile.

Lando kissed her hand. "Welcome, Leia."

Mina crossed her arms over her chest, not allowing herself to be taken by his "charms". "I'm Mina. My father is Lux Bonteri, whom represented Onderon on the Imperial Senate until recently."

Lando did a double-take. "Senator Bonteri's daughter ?! I've seen your mother once. You look as beautiful as she is."

Mina quickly withdrew her hand from Lando's grasp. "Don't bother. Your flattery gets nowhere with me."

Han broke the tension between all. "All right, all right, you old smoothie."

Han quickly grabbed Leia by her hand and distanced her from Lando.

C3PO tried to get acquainted with Lando, only to be ignored. "Hello, sir. My name is C3PO, Human-Cyborg relations. My facilities are at your…"

As they entered the halls of Cloud City, Lando looked back to the Falcon. "What's wrong with the Falcon ?"

Han kept details simple. "Hyperdrive."

"I'll get my people to work on it." Lando entered some data on his wrist-computer.

Lando couldn't help to boast about the Falcon's speed. "You know, that ship saved my life quite a few times. She's the fastest hunk of junk in the Galaxy."

Mina stated the obvious. "So we've noticed. She did help us escape the grasp of the Empire… so far."

Han decided to change the subject to a more cheerful subject. "How's the gas mine ? Is it paying off for you ?"

Lando remained cool. "Oh, not as well as I'd like. We're a small outpost and not very self-sufficient. And I've had supply problems of every kind… I've had labor difficulties…" Lando caught Han smirking at him. "What's so funny ?"

Han could only laugh at him. "You ! Listen to you ! You sound like a businessman, a responsible leader. Who'd thought that, huh ?"

Lando seemed truly happy to see Han again. "You know, seeing you here sure brings back a few things. Yeah, I'm responsible these days. It's the price you pay for being successful."

As Lando lead the crew further inside, C3PO stopped once he saw another protocol droid leaving a room, looking much like him. "Oh ! Nice to see a familiar face."

The droid didn't care for C3PO's banter. "E chu ta !"

Understanding the droid's dialect, C3PO was offended. "How rude !" He was distracted when he heard familiar whistling and beeping coming from within the room. "That sounds like an R2 unit in there. I wonder if…" C3PO's curiosity got the better of him and he strolled inside to come face to face with Stormtroopers. "Hello ? Oh, my !"

"Who are you ?!" They readied their blasters.

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry ! I didn't mean to intrude ! No, no, please don't get up ! NO !" C3PO was blasted in several pieces, some sliding near the edge of the door, which conveniently closed as Chewie came looking for the droid.

Having missed the skirmish, Chewie just shrugged his shoulders and joined the others.

 **Swamps of Dagobah**

After some thinking, Luke chose to hold off his training so he could rescue his friends from his disturbing vision. The X-Wing was prepped and R2 was loaded in his spot.

Yoda disagreed with Luke's decision and tried to change his mind. "Luke ! You must complete your training."

While Luke's training was important, he had to ease his conscience. "I can't keep the vision out of my head. They're my friends ! I've got to help them !"

Yoda sensed trouble brewing. "You must not go !"

"But Han, Leia and Mina will die if I don't !" Luke quickly replied.

Unexpectedly, Obi-Wan's Force Ghost made himself visible. "You don't know that. Not even Yoda can see their fate."

While Obi-Wan was right, Luke couldn't stay put. "But I can help them ! I feel the Force !"

"But you cannot control it. This is a very dangerous time for you, when you will be tempted by the Dark Side of the Force." Obi-Wan countered.

Yoda seconded Obi-Wan. "Yes, yes ! To Obi-Wan you listen. The cave ! Remember your failure at the cave !"

Luke held on to the railing of his step-ladder. "But I've learned so much since then. Master Yoda, I promise to return and finish what I've begun. You have my word."

"It is you and your abilities the Emperor wants. That is why your friends are made to suffer." Obi-Wan knew he couldn't keep Luke from doing what he felt was right.

"And that is why I have to go." Luke climbed into his X-Wing.

Obi-Wan sighed. "Luke, I don't want to lose you to the Emperor the way I lost Vader."

Luke shook his head. "You won't."

"Stopped, they must be. On this all depends. Only a fully trained Jedi Knight with the Force as his ally will conquer Vader and his Emperor. If you end your training now, if you choose the quick and easy path, as Vader did, you will become… an agent of evil." Yoda warned.

Obi-Wan looked up to Luke, trying to have him stay. "Patience."

Luke couldn't allow his vision to come true. "And sacrifice Han, Leia or Mina ?! No, that's something I can't do."

"If you honor what they fight for ? Yes !" Yoda retorted.

For a moment, Luke began to consider staying, but he quickly returned to his original plan.

"If you choose to face Vader, you will do it alone. I cannot interfere." Obi-Wan warned.

Luke let out a deep sight. "I understand." He turned to his astromech. "R2, fire up the converters."

As the X-Wing's engine roared to life, Obi-Wan offered one last piece of advice. "Luke, don't give in to hate, that leads to the Dark Side."

Yoda offered his own. "Strong is Vader. Mind what you have learned. Save you it can."

towards his friends, using the Force to guide him.

Once Luke was gone, Yoda had to vent his frustrations. "Told you, I did. Reckless is he. Much like his father. Now matters are worse."

Obi-Wan still clung to the belief that Luke was the Chosen One. "That boy is our last hope."

Yoda looked up to the stars. "No. There is another."

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow. "You mean his twin sister ? While she likely has potential, she's not aware that she has the Force in her. It would take too long to train her. No… I have a better suggestion : Should Luke survive his duel with Vader, he will need more training with his lightsaber. And there's only one person we know whom is qualified enough to train him. Track and contact Ahsoka, will you ?"

Yoda turned to him. "Hmm. No need to track, Obi-Wan. Where she is, I know. How willing she will be to train young Skywalker, I know not. Speak to her through the Force, I will."

As Obi-Wan's Force Ghost faded off into the mist, Yoda trekked back to his home. Once inside, he went to his usual meditation spot and reached into the Force.

 **Erso Farm, Lah'mu**

As Lux was busy gathering various vegetables from his estate, Ahsoka was inside, meditating. She wondered if her montrals were playing a trick on her once she heard a familiar voice.

"Not expecting to hear me, did you ? Hmm ? How fare you ?"

"M-Master Yoda ?! H-how ?!"

"Speaking to you through the Force, I am. Important matters to discuss, we have."

"As you can probably sense, I'm rather well. At ease. Peaceful. I guess farming has that effect on people. What is it that you want to talk about, Master ?"

"A visitor, you will soon have. The son of your former Master. A Jedi he wishes to be. Taught him some skills with the Force, I have. His lightsaber techniques need improvement. Your task it will be, to show him how to fight."

"Now just a minute ! I'm no longer a Jedi. How could you even consider me to teach him in something I left behind ?"

"No more a Jedi, may you be. Nevertheless, your connection to the Force remains. Feel guilty for the fate of your former Master, do you ? The key to bringing back Anakin to the Light, the boy is. Capable he must be, to overcome Vader and his Emperor. Depend on him, the fate of the Galaxy does. Train him, will you ?"

"Now that you put it that way, I guess it would be in my best interest to show him the various forms of combat. To see Anakin return to the Light, I'd do anything ! All right, when he shows up, I'll train him to the best of my ability."

"Nothing more, I would ask. A role model for many, you would have become. Hmm. Regret your decision to leave, do you ?"

"Yes and no. I probably could've prevented Anakin from turning, but after how I was treated during the Temple Bombing Incident, I couldn't stay. It's nothing personal. You, Master Plo, Master Ti, Obi-Wan and Anakin were the Jedi I still held respect for. The rest… Let's not go there, shall we ? I was meant to take this path that I'm still following. Sure, there has been some losses, but I have to look at the positives. My marriage to Lux, the birth of my daughter, Mina… Last but not least, my contributions to shaping the Rebellion against the Empire."

"Hmm, busy you have been, hmm ? Passed on your knowledge to your daughter, you have, hmm ? Good. Very good. A good teacher and mother, you are. Lucky, your daughter is. Lucky to learn from you, the son of Skywalker will be. Train him well. May the Force be with you, young Ahsoka."

"Thank you for the praise, Master. Really boosts my self-esteem. May the Force be with you as well."

Moments later, Ahsoka stirred from her meditation. Getting up, she went over to the kitchen for a much needed glass of water. " _The son of Anakin ? Who would've thought ! I guess this is how the Force chose to have me redeem myself to leaving Anakin so long ago. When the time comes, I'll give him nothing but my best !_ "

 **Cloud City, Bespin**

In their private quarters, Han entered while Leia and Mina looked out to the window. Something was gnawing at her mind.

Han tried to relieve her worries. "The ship is almost finished. 2 or 3 more things and we're in great shape."

She quickly turned to him. "The sooner, the better ! Something's wrong here. No one has seen or knows anything about C3PO. He's been gone too long to have gotten lost."

Han took her hands and kissed her on her forehead. "Relax. I'll talk to Lando and see what I can find out."

Leia shook her head. "I don't trust Lando."

Mina crossed her arms. "I don't either. Something's fishy about him."

Han tried to reason with the women. "I don't trust him either. But he is my friend. Besides, we'll soon be gone."

Mina felt a shiver down her spine. " _What's this feeling ? So cold. Should I… ? Then again, it could be nothing. I'll wait and see._ "

Leia huddled herself. "And then you're good as gone, aren't you ?"

Han was about to question her but chose to remain silent.

 **Junk Room**

Chewie's search for C3PO brought him down to the junk room, where spare parts were being tossed into a furnace. Rolling on the conveyor belt, was a box with C3PO's parts. An Ugnauth inspected the head and was about to toss it into the furnace, had Chewie not intervened. The Ugnauths were in a playful mood, they tossed C3PO's head to each other, while Chewie tried to get it back. Eventually, he managed to pull it out of their grubby hands. He quickly ran back to their quarters with the box, making sure all of C3PO's parts were in it.

Once he rushed in the shared quarters, everyone was shocked to see C3PO in pieces.

Leia looked at all the broken pieces. "What happened ?"

Chewie grunted an explanation. Han translated. "Where ? You found him in a junk pile ?"

Leia wondered how he ended up like that. "What a mess. Chewie, do you think you can fix him ?"

Chewie didn't look so sure. Mina, however, wanted to help. "I could do it. Me and my Mom fixed a lot of droids together when I was younger."

Han offered another alternative. "Lando's got people who could fix him."

Leia quickly refused Han's suggestion. "No, thanks."

A buzz at the door rang and Lando entered, ready to greet his guests. "I'm sorry. Am I interrupting anything ?"

Leia still kept an eye on Lando. "Not really."

Seeing Leia in a fancy dress, Lando couldn't help himself. "You look absolutely beautiful. You truly belong here with us among the clouds." Han could only face-palm at his comment.

"Will you join me for a little refreshment ?" Lando looked at everyone, even Mina, whom seemed nervous. "Everyone's invited, of course." He caught sight of C3PO's parts. "Having trouble with your droid ?"

Han played innocent. "No. No problem. Why ?"

They all walked over to the dining hall. Lando explained some of his business. "So you see, since we're a small operation, we don't fall into the… uh… jurisdiction of the Empire."

"So you're part of the Mining Guild, then ?" Leia made an effort to converse with him.

"No, not actually. Our operation is small enough not to be noticed… which is advantageous for everybody since our customers are anxious to avoid attracting attention to themselves."

Han knew down the line there could be trouble. "Aren't you afraid the Empire's going to find out about this little operation and shut you down ?"

Lando arrived at the doors of the dining hall, turning to face everyone. "That's always been a danger looming like a shadow over everything we've built here. But things have developed that will insure security. I've just made a deal that will keep the Empire out of here forever."

Pressing the button, the doors slid open to reveal the dining hall. At the end of the banquet table, sat none other that Darth Vader.

Mina cursed her luck. "Oh Sithspit ! _That_ 's what I felt earlier !"

Han quickly reached for his blaster, shooting a couple of bolts towards him. Vader merely blocked the bolts with his hand, then used the Force to yank Han's blaster to him. As he placed it on the table, Boba Fett came out of hiding and several Stormtroopers appeared behind the group.

Vader invited them in. "We would be honored if you would join us."

Han glared at Lando. He did feel some remorse for selling out his friends to the Empire. But it was too late now. "I had no choice. They arrived right before you did. I'm sorry."

Han wanted to punch Lando right about now. "I'm sorry, too."

Vader quickly noticed Mina's presence in the Force. "I can see where you've come from, young lady. Indeed, you bear a great resemblance to your mother. I sense great potential in you. Why not join me… and I will complete your training ?"

Mina wasn't afraid to mock Vader. "Gee… Let me think… How about NO ?!"

Han held his head, sensing a headache coming. "Snips ! Enough with the snarks ! We're in deep enough as it is. Stop pushing your luck !"

Vader tensed up once he heard the all-too familiar nickname. "Perhaps I can find a way to motivate you !"

Mina rolled her eyes, snorting at him. "Yeah, good luck with that !"

Vader considered choking her with the Force, but he wanted both her and Luke to help him overthrow the Emperor.

Mina sensed his intentions. "You do know that it's dangerous to lay a finger on me, right ? My mother would tear you apart literally if you made the mistake of hurting me."

More long-forgotten memories flooded Vader. He quickly buried them back to the very back of his mind. "In time, perhaps you will see things my way. Until then, I have ways to make everyone of you miserable."

 **Bespin's atmosphere**

Luke raced through the clouds towards the city. R2 beeped inquisitively. Luke quickly relieved the droid of his worries. "No, C3PO is with them. Just hang on, we're almost there."

 **Prison Cells**

Chewie and Mina were both locked up in a cell together, which a piercing whistling sound assaulted their hearing continuously. Chewie covered his ears, roaring in agony. Mina covered her montrals.

"What's that ? Your ears hurt, furball ? What about me ?! My hearing is 1000 times more sensitive than yours, so quit complaining !"

When they least expect it, the aural torture stopped. Mina sat on a bench, where the box of C3PO's parts laid. "Thank the Force, they stopped with that sound. Ohhh, my montrals are so sore right now. It hurts to feel them."

Chewie reached into the box and pulled out C3PO's head and torso. Quickly attaching the two together, he then messed with some wires and light appeared from C3PO's eyes for a moment. Fiddling with other wires, he also activated his voice.

"Oh, my ! I, uh… Take this off ! I, uh, don't mean to intrude here. I, don't… no, no… no ! Please, don't get up ! No !" Arranging the wires brought his voice back to normal. "Stormtroopers ? Here ? We're in danger ! I must warn the others ! Oh, no ! I've been shot !"

"You don't say, Captain Obvious !" Mina reached into the box for parts she could fix on her own.

C3PO recognized that voice. "Mistress Mina, always with a comeback I see ! Where are we ? What happened ?"

Chewie grunted and barked an explanation. "We've been captured ? Oh, no ! Darth Vader is here too ? Oh, my !"

In another room, Han is attached to a torture device. He is lowered to it, suffering electrocution all over him. As Han screamed in agony, Vader stepped out of the room to speak with Lando and Fett.

Vader turned to the Bounty Hunter first. "You may take Captain Solo to Jabba the Hutt after I have Skywalker."

As more of Han's screams were heard, Fett became concerned for his prize. "He's no good to me dead."

"He will not be permanently damaged." Vader answered.

Lando quickly faced the Sith Lord. "Lord Vader, what about the Princess, the Togruta and the Wookie ?"

"The Togruta will be taken to my shuttle with maximum security so she doesn't escape. As for the others, they must never again leave this city." Vader quickly activated his comlink. "Commander, I want a full escort team to the prison cells. Extract the Togruta and place Force binders on her. She must not escape ! Take her to my shuttle, I will deal with her momentarily."

Lando noticed he was losing out. "That was never a condition of our agreement, nor was giving Han to this Bounty Hunter !"

Vader looked at Lando, anger seething in his voice. "Perhaps you think you are being treated unfairly ?"

Lando backed down. "No."

"Good. It would be unfortunate if I had to leave a garrison here." Vader walked over to the elevator with Fett, leaving Lando on his own.

Lando began to regret his association with the Empire. "This deal's getting worse all the time !"

Chewie and Mina's cell door slid open, several Stormtroopers entered with their blasters aimed at the two. An Imperial officer walked in with a pair of Force binders. "Come here, girl. We're taking you to Lord Vader's shuttle."

Chewie let out a soft howl. Mina offered her wrists to the officer. "No, it's not worth it, Chewie. Stay and fix C3PO, ok ? Don't worry, we'll meet again. Count on it." She winked at him.

As Mina was escorted toward the shuttle, she began to form a plan in her mind. " _I'll bide my time. When they least expect it, I'll disarm them all and meet up with Han, Leia and Chewie. Easy as pie !_ "

Inside Chewie's cell, he kept himself distracted by fixing up C3PO. More and more the protocol droid felt more at ease, despite that he was still in pieces. "Oh yes, that's very good. I like that ! Oh ! Something's not right because I can't see." Chewie flicked a switch, bringing C3PO's eyesight back. "Wait. Wait ! Oh, my ! What have you done ?! I'm backwards ! You stupid furball ! Only an overgrown mophead like you would be stupid enough to-" C3PO was shut off when Chewie had heard enough whining.

As Chewie placed C3PO back in his box, the door slid open and Han was thrown into the cell. He was pale and looked rather rugged from his torture. Compared to him and Leia, he and Mina had it easy. Chewie quickly grabbed Han and held him in a hug.

Han definitely had better days. "I feel terrible."

Chewie placed Han on the bench while the door slid open again to have Leia tossed inside. She also endured a bit of torture, but nowhere near as bad as Han suffered.

She knelt next to Han, stroking his head. "Why are they doing this ?"

Han couldn't quite understand as well. "They didn't even ask me any questions."

The cell door opened for a third time, Lando entered, flanked by a couple of his guards. Han wasn't in the mood to deal with him now. "Get out of here, Lando !"

Lando explained everyone's fates. "Shut up and listen ! Vader has agreed to turn Leia and the Wookie over to me while he took Mina to his shuttle."

These news didn't sit well with Han. "Over to you ?"

Lando motioned to Leia and Chewie. "They'll have to stay here, but at least they'll be safe !"

Leia soon became worried. "What about Han ?"

"Vader's giving him to the Bounty Hunter." Lando answered.

Leia held on to Han's side. "Vader wants us all dead."

Lando shook his head. "He doesn't want any of you at all ! He wanted Mina and now he's after somebody called… uh… Skywalker !"

"Luke ?" Han pieced the puzzle together pretty quickly. Mina and Luke were to become evil like Vader. Not a good outcome for the Galaxy at all.

"Lord Vader set a trap for him." Lando didn't want to be part of the plot.

Leia quickly figured out their roles. "And we're the bait !"

Lando sighed. "Well, he's on his way."

Han had enough. He struggled to get up. "Perfect. You set us up real good, didn't you ? _My friend !_ " Han proceeded to punch Lando square on the jaw, only to have his guards beat him up with their rifles. Chewie wanted to tear them apart, but he stood still once their rifles were aimed at him.

Lando broke up the fight. "Stop ! I've done all I can ! I'm sorry I couldn't do better, but I have my own problems."

Han looked up, wincing at his pain. "Yeah, you're a real hero !"

Lando simply turned around and let the trio on their own. Leia tried to help Han up.

"Ahh… ow… ow… ow…"

"You certainly have a way with people." She was definitely beginning to like him. No, love him even.

 **Inside the Imperial shuttle**

Mina was placed in a holding cell, which had a ray shield to block her escape. There wasn't much. Just a bench and a sink. She sat on the bench, planning her escape. " _Kinda looks like the Tydirium, but not as comfy._ "

The officer in charge simply stood beyond the ray shield, taunting her. "You certainly won't be escaping on my watch, my pretty."

Mina shrugged her shoulders. "I guess not. But would it be asking too much to get rid of that bug in the corner ?"

"What bug ?" The officer took a quick glance.

"Right there, in the corner !" Mina pointed.

"You can't kill a bug yourself ?"

Mina played her role well. "No, they creep me out ! Please, get it out of the cell or kill it !"

The officer rolled his eyes and deactivated the ray shield, entering her holding cell. "You're a sissy, you know that ! Can't handle a bug ! Sheesh ! Now, where is it ?"

"Don't you see it ? It's right there !" Mina pointed to the ground, forcing the officer to kneel to get a better view.

"I'm not see- Oof !" Mina rammed the officer into the wall, knocking the air out of him. Once he was down, she searched his pockets and found the device to deactivate the Force binders.

As she ran out of the ship, Stormtroopers stood in her way. "The prisoner is escaping ! Stop her !"

Mina called on the Force and lifted the Stormtroopers, manipulating them so they would bump into each other, rendering them all unconscious. "And I'm free again ! Let's find the others… Wait a sec ! I feel a presence… Luke ! Luke is here ! I guess I better meet up with him and warn him of Vader's presence." She ran back inside, laying low and avoiding being seen by the Imperial patrols. She knew that an important duel between Luke and Vader would be taking place soon.

 **We'll end it here for now. As you can see, Mina has her ways of dealing with the Imperials. While she races to meet up with Luke, the rest of the crew will be present for Han's freezing in Carbonite. Luke will fight Vader and learn the hard truth. Mina will catch up with the crew for their daring escape. Feel free to leave a review.**


	12. The Cold, Hard Truth

**Carbon Freezing Room**

A group of Ugnauths were preparing the machine for carbon freezing. Darth Vader arrived with several Imperial officers and Stormtroopers. Lando tailing behind the Imperials with Han, Leia, Chewie with C3PO attached to his back and finally Boba Fett at the rear.

Vader gave a quick overlook of the machine. "This facility is crude, but it should be adequate to freeze Skywalker for his journey to the Emperor."

Another Imperial officer rushed to Vader. "Lord Vader, we've got a ship approaching. X-Wing class."

So far, Vader's plan was working well. "Good. Monitor Skywalker and allow him to land."

The officer bowed and quickly left for the clearance of Luke's X-Wing.

Lando approached Vader with some concerns. "Lord Vader, we only use this facility for carbon freezing. If you put him in there, it might kill him."

Vader already had chosen to try it out first. "I do not want the Emperor's prize damaged. We will test it… on Captain Solo."

Upon hearing this, Lando quickly shot a worried glance towards Han in the distance.

 **Cloud City Entrance**

Luke landed at a designated spot once he was given special clearance, to his surprise. Once he entered the halls, they were empty of life. He looked around with R2 rolling behind him.

 **Carbon Freezing Room**

C3PO, while being functional but still missing his legs, had been hastily strapped to Chewie's back. Of course, he had to whine about his state. "If only you had attached my legs, I wouldn't be in this ridiculous position. Now remember, Chewbacca, you have a responsibility to me, so don't do anything foolish."

Han tilted towards Lando. "What's going on… "buddy" ?"

Lando had trouble facing him. "You're being put into carbon freeze."

Fett was obviously worried about losing his quarry. "What if he doesn't survive ? He's no good to me dead."

Vader quickly eased his worry. "The Empire will compensate you if he dies." He motioned to several officers. "Put him in !"

Chewie, upon realizing what was about to happen to Han, roared and tried to prevent the unthinkable. He attacked the Stormtroopers surrounding Han, but was quickly overwhelmed when they used their rifles to knock him into submission. Boba Fett would have shot the Wookie had Vader not lowered his arm, signaling to stay put. Han quickly broke free of the Stormtroopers' grasp and tried to reason with his long-time friend. "Chewie, stop ! Stop ! Do you hear me ?! STOP !"

Chewie only stood there, wailing. Han had to reassure him. "Chewie ! Chewie, this won't help me ! Hey !" He motioned to Leia. "Save your strength. There'll be another time ! The Princess, you have to protect her. Mina's gone, buddy. And it looks like Luke will be joining her soon. You're the only one that can look after her now. Do you hear me ? Huh ?"

Chewie let out a low howl, understanding his request.

As Chewie was placed binders on him while he was still in shock, Leia and Han exchanged a glance. She quickly ran over to him, sharing one last passionate kiss.

"I love you !" She admitted.

Deep down, Han felt the same. "I know."

They looked at each other in sorrow as Han was lowered into the carbon freezing compartment. Chewie howled incessantly as his Captain was about to be encased. Moments later, a huge mechanical hand pulled the coffin out, revealing Han trapped in a painful and sad expression. An Ugnauth pushed the coffin onto the ground, causing a haunting thud. Leia huddled against Chewie, clearly distraught by the ordeal.

Lando knelt over the coffin and inspected the controls on the side. Vader stood next to him. "Well, Calrissian, did he survive ?"

Lando, while bothered by what happened to Han, was relieved that the procedure went smoothly. "Yes, he's alive. And in perfect hibernation."

Vader turned to Fett. "He's all yours, Bounty Hunter." He turned to his officers. "Reset the chamber for Skywalker."

The same officer from earlier came for another report. "Skywalker has just landed, my Lord."

Victory was so close. "Good. See to it that he finds his way here." He turned to Lando. "Calrissian, take the Princess and the Wookie to my ship. They'll be united with the Togruta… until she turns to the Dark Side."

Lando quickly argued about the new orders. "You said they'd be left in the city under my supervision !"

Pointing a finger at Lando, Vader quickly reminded him who was really in charge. "I'm altering the deal. Pray I don't alter it any further."

Lando turned back to Leia, Chewie and C3PO. " _Oh, no. You 3 aren't going on that ship ! I'll make sure of that ! Gotta make some arrangements first._ " Finally, Lando had enough of Vader and the Empire's presence. He would soon align himself with the Rebellion.

 **Hallways**

Luke and R2 quietly moved around the empty hallways. Just when he was about to move forward, he felt a pair of hands grab his shoulders, causing R2 to beep and whistle. Quickly turning around, he saw Mina, slightly startled.

"Calm down ! It's just me !" She held her hands in front of her.

Luke let out a sigh of relief. "Don't sneak up on me like that. I thought you were an enemy !"

Noticing she was alone, Luke needed explanations. "What happened ? Where's Han and the others ?"

"In a nutshell, we've been captured and tortured by the Empire. Darth Vader is here. He thought he could entrust his Imperial subordinates to hold me down. Imperials are so easy to trick, it ain't funny. I'm not sure what happened to others at this point, but my gut feeling tells me they're nearby." She explained.

"Vader." Luke breathed. "I can't let him take Han and the others. I have to stop him."

Mina nodded in agreement. "A duel with him is inevitable at this point, Luke. Consider it your first major trial during your training as a Jedi."

Luke stepped back, reading between the lines. "Woah, wait a minute ! You mean you're not going to help me ?"

Mina shook her head. "I'm sorry, Luke. My mother strictly told me not to engage him at any point. From what she told me, he's quite powerful. But I feel that you have what it takes to stand up to him."

"You know, I'd really like to meet your mother, if it's possible." Luke was about to move forward when he heard footsteps in the distant hallway. "Someone's coming ! Hide !"

Mina hid behind a pillar, quickly glancing at the group moving in the distance. Boba Fett took the lead, with a couple of Imperials officers pushing Han's coffin along. Soon, Lando followed with the trio, surrounded by Stormtroopers. Luke moved a bit too fast and was noticed by the Stormtroopers. They immediately began to fire at him. Luke shot back with a blaster of his, bringing one Stormtrooper down. As the group hurried through the hallway, Fett took a shot at Luke, missing him by inches.

Before Leia could be dragged further into the corridor, she gave Luke ample warning. "LUKE ! Luke, don't… ! It's a trap ! IT'S A TRAP !"

Once Luke cleared the first half of the hallway, Mina hurried behind him, with R2 rolling behind the two. Once they arrived at a spot with several paths, Mina made a decision. "You go through that path down there, I'll go forward and rescue Leia and the others."

Luke scratched his brow. "Why through there ?"

Mina gave one last look before moving onward. "Can't you feel the cold coming from there ? Vader's somewhere through that path, waiting for you. Do us proud, Luke. Face him and live to tell the tale ! May the Force be with you !"

Luke waved to her. "You as well, Mina. Good luck !"

R2 tried to follow Luke through his path, but the door shut in front of him before he could reach it. Seeing he was suddenly alone, he guessed Mina's direction and rolled along. Luke cautiously moved through several trapdoors, finally arriving at the Carbon Freezing room. Looking at the end of the room, he could see Darth Vader waiting for him.

"The Force is with you, young Skywalker. But you are not a Jedi yet." Vader taunted.

Luke walked up to him, igniting his lightsaber. Once Vader ignited his own, the two began their duel. Luke charged at him, but his attempt was easily blocked. Luke once again swung his lightsaber, this time getting caught in a saberlock.

 **Hallways**

Before the Imperials could enter a nearby elevator towards Vader's shuttle, they were intercepted by Lando's guards. The Stormtroopers held their hands over their heads as their blasters were being taken from them. Two blasters were passed to Lando and Leia, respectively.

Lando congratulated his guards. "Well done. Hold them in the security tower… and keep it quiet. Move."

As Lando was about to remove Chewie's binders, Leia questioned his actions. "What do you think you're doing ?"

"We're getting out of here." Lando removed Chewie's binders and was immediately held in a strong choke hold.

"Do you really think that we'd trust you after what you did to Han ?!" Leia eye caught someone catching up to them. "Mina ?! How did you… ?!"

Mina caught her breath. "Never mind that. I'll explain later. Why is Chewie choking him ?"

Chewie roared an answer. Mina rolled her eyes and stared at Lando. "I see. Had you had a change of heart or have you actually grown a pair ?!"

"I had no choice…" Lando squeaked.

C3PO tried to pacify the Wookie. "What are you doing ? Trust him ! Trust him !"

Leia felt little sympathy for Lando. "Oh, we understand, don't we, Chewie ? He had no choice."

Lando still struggled to free himself from Chewie's hold. "I'm just trying to help…"

"We don't need any of your help !" Leia spat back.

Lando gasped Han's name. Leia didn't quite catch it. "What ?"

C3PO guessed Lando's word. "It sounds like Han."

Chewie had lessened his hold slightly to let him speak. "There's still a chance to save Han… At the East Platform…"

That was enough for Leia. "Chewie, let him go."

As Lando slowly regained his breath, C3PO apologized to Chewie's actions. "I'm terribly sorry about all this. After all, he's only a Wookie."

 **East Landing Platform**

Boba Fett finally arrived at his ship, the Slave I, which his late "father" Jango, owned before the Clone Wars. He pushed a button which activated the boarding ramp. "Put Captain Solo in the cargo hold."

Once Han's coffin was secured, the Imperial officers left to allow Fett to take off.

As Lando, Leia, Mina and Chewie sped off towards Fett's landing pad, they came across R2 whom was wheeling around. Noticing them, he quickly beeped his relief at seeing them again.

C3PO, still attached to Chewie's back, was glad to see his counterpart after so long. "R2 ! R2 ! Where have you been ?"

Chewie turned around, growling his happiness at seeing the astromech as well. C3PO, being stuck on Chewie's back, still wanted to talk some more. "Turn around, you wooly… !" C3PO pressed his friend forward. "Hurry ! Hurry ! We're trying to save Han from the Bounty Hunter !"

R2 beeped his remarks as the four kept running towards the platform. "Well, at least you're still in one piece ! Look what happened to me !"

Just as they arrive at the platform, they see Slave I departing.

For once, Mina stated the obvious. "Kriff it ! We're too late !"

Chewie, enraged at his loss, fired at the ship going off in the distance. This alerted a group of Stormtroopers nearby.

C3PO was certainly a sitting duck being tied to Chewie's back. "Oh, no ! Chewie, they're behind you !"

While Leia and Chewie fired at the squad of Stormtroopers, Lando made a run for the nearby elevator, ducking under the fire coming from both sides. Mina ignited her lightsabers and deflected the blaster bolts aimed at her general direction, causing one to ricochet back at its shooter.

Lando motioned for the trio to run for the elevator with him and R2. "Come on ! There's nothing more we can do here ! We gotta go !"

After a few moments of unleashing their rage against the Imperials, Leia, Mina and Chewie finally ran up to Lando in the elevator. Lando pressed the button to the floor where the Millennium Falcon would be the closest for them.

 **Carbon Freezing Room**

As Luke and Vader traded blows, Luke gained a slight advantage by attacking more aggressively, driving Vader back.

Vader was pleased at how far Luke had come. "You have learned much, young one."

"You'll find that I'm full of surprises !" Luke shot back, continuing his assault.

Several more strikes and Vader succeeded in disarming Luke, sending him rolling near the edge of the carbon freezing compartment. Vader pointed his lightsaber at him. "Your destiny lies with me, Skywalker. Obi-Wan knew this to be true."

"No !" Luke rolled out of the way, but fell right into the carbon freezing compartment.

Vader used the Force to activate the machine. "All too easy. Perhaps you are not as strong as the Emperor thought. Perhaps the Togruta girl is a better prospect after all."

Before Luke would be frozen like Han, he used a grappling hook to bring himself out of harm's way. Vader looked up, to see the boy clinging to the ceiling. "Impressive… Most impressive."

Luke leapt back to the floor and called back his lightsaber to fly to his hand. Igniting it again, Vader ignited his as well and their duel resumed.

Once again, they got themselves into a saber lock. "Obi-Wan has taught you well. You have controlled your fear… Now, release your anger !"

Luke knew better than allow negative feelings get the better of him. While they clashed some more, Vader seemed to lead Luke away from the current room. "Only your hatred can destroy me."

Eventually, Luke caught Vader by surprise and pushed him down a pit. Vader seemed to have disappeared, but a tunnel-like path lit up the way for Luke as he made his way to Cloud City's Reactor Control Room.

Luke kept himself alert at all times, looking in every direction. He moved towards a large window overlooking an enormous shaft that seemed to lead for miles and miles below. As he stood by the window, Vader leapt out of the shadows, but didn't confront him directly. Instead, he called on the Force to send various bits of machinery hurling towards Luke. While he managed to block the majority of the parts flying towards him, some managed to land a blow to him, causing some bruises all over him. Luke was so focused to blocking Vader's parts that he missed a stray bit of machinery that flew through the window, breaking it. The sudden vacuum caused by air blowing out towards the reactor shaft sucked Luke out of the control room.

Luke was holding on for dear life as he scrambled himself up from the edge of the shaft. He stood on a small bridge, regaining his breath.

 **Hallways**

Back with Lando and the others, they arrived at the designated landing platform where the Millennium Falcon stood. Lando tried to access the doorway by entering a certain code. The computer beeped a negative. "The security codes have been changed !"

When it couldn't get worse, a squad of Stormtroopers arrived at the scene, trapping them. As bolts flew in every direction, C3PO thought of what his counterpart did best. "R2, you can tell the computer to override the security system !"

Locating a computer socket, R2 rolled over to it. Lando, on his end, ordered the evacuation of the city through the intercom. "Attention ! This is Lando Calrissian. The Empire has taken control of the city. I advise everyone to leave before more Imperial troops arrive !"

Once R2 plugged into the "terminal", he got a major shock. The electricity flowing through him was almost overwhelming his circuits. Chewie quickly pulled the astromech out of harm's way.

Mina, still busy deflecting the blaster bolts with her lightsabers, looked out to Lando. "What now ?"

"This way !" Lando pointed. The group followed him through a hallway leading to an alternative path to their ship… and hopefully freedom.

As the four ran ahead of R2, he beeped some remarks aimed at C3PO.

"Don't blame me ! I'm an interpreter. I'm not supposed to know a power socket from a computer terminal !" He quipped.

As the group raced for the other path to the Falcon, countless citizens were fleeing. Some fought against the Stormtroopers, while others avoided conflict by taking advantage of the Imperials' distraction. Once they arrived near the other door, R2 hooked up to a "real" computer terminal this time. Beeping some remarks, C3PO berated him. "What are you talking about ?! We're not interested in the hyperdrive of the Millennium Falcon ! It's fixed ! Just open the door, you stupid lump !"

R2 activated the door's control, getting it open. C3PO quickly changed his tune. "I never doubted you for a second ! Wonderful !"

To give the rebels a better chance at escaping, R2 unleashed a fog, obscuring everything. He simply rolled amidst the blaster bolts that missed him and everybody else. Lando ran by the edge of the Falcon's boarding ramp, firing back at the approaching Stormtroopers. Leia stood by his side, also taking shots at them. Chewie raced through the boarding ramp, forgetting that C3PO was attached to his back, causing some headaches for the protocol droid. "Ouch ! Oh ! Ah ! That hurts ! Bend down, you thoughtless… Ow !"

R2 quickly rolled inside the ship, taking the responsibility of fixing C3PO.

Lando wasn't willing to let Leia get shot after all that drama. He owed her that much. "Leia ! Go !"

While Leia ran inside the ship, Mina was gradually backing towards the boarding ramp, still deflecting stray blaster bolts with her lightsabers. Once she felt close enough, she motioned Lando to join everyone. "We've really overstayed our welcome here ! Let's book it !"

Chewie started up the Falcon while Lando sat by his side, with Leia and Mina taking the rear seats. Near the Dejarik table, R2 pulled C3PO's parts around so he could begin to assemble them. "I thought that hairy beast would be the end of me ! Of course, I've looked better !"

Once the Falcon took off, Tie-Fighters quickly pursued them through the skies of Bespin.

While busy avoiding capture again, there was something that was bothering Mina. Like they were missing something… No… someone ! " _Oh. My. Force. We completely forgot about Luke ! We can't leave him there ! We'll have to go back for him !_ "

 **Reactor Shaft**

Along a small bridge, Luke attempted to make his way back to the control room. When he least expected, Vader appeared in front of him and began to wail on him. Luke blocked the blows but was being drawn back outside on the small bridge that lead to the reactor shaft. Eventually, Luke lost his footing and Vader's saber stood inches from him.

"You are beaten. It is useless to resist. Don't let yourself be destroyed as Obi-Wan did."

Luke retaliated by swinging his saber upwards, slightly cutting above Vader's left shoulder. Vader was only stunned for a moment and quickly continued his attack until he managed to cut Luke's right hand, causing him to scream in pain.

While the boy crawled to the spire in the middle, Vader reached out to him differently. "There is no escape. Don't make me destroy you. You do not yet realize your importance yet. Unlike your Togruta companion, you have only begun to discover your power. Join me, and I will complete your training. The girl is already proficient in the Force as well as Lightsaber combat, so will it be the same with you. With our combined strength, the 3 of us can end this destructive conflict and bring Order to the Galaxy."

"I'll never join you ! Mina wouldn't either for all I know !" Luke scowled.

"If only you knew the Power of the Dark Side, Mina's mother had a taste of it during our duel on Malachor. Shame I failed to terminate her, but her daughter should be easily turned and will prove useful for my goals. Obi-Wan never told you what happened to your father, has he ?"

Luke looked at Vader, a frown on his face. "He told me enough ! It was you who killed him !"

Vader pointed to himself. "No. _I_ am your father."

Not believing a word, Luke shook his head. "No… NO ! That's not true ! That's impossible !"

"Search your feelings. You know it to be true."

Harsh reality crashed down on Luke. "NO ! NO ! NO !"

Vader extended his hand to him. "Luke. You and Mina can destroy the Emperor. He has foreseen this. It is your destiny. Join me, and all 3 of us will rule the Galaxy. Come with me. When Mina sees that you have joined me, she will join us as well. It is the only way."

While Vader was distracted by attempting to bring Luke to his side, he couldn't read his mind.

" _Join the Dark Side ? Never ! And since Mina has already escaped with the others, he's going to be left empty-handed. Now, I have to trust my instincts. And they're telling me to… let go ?_ " Luke thought.

Luke simply let himself drop down the shaft. Eventually, he slid down an exhaust vent, leading him outside, at the underside of the floating city. He almost fell into the abyss as he clung to a metal pole, dangling downwards. Instead of falling into panic, he reached out into the Force. "Ben… Ben, please !"

Seeing no apparition of Obi-Wan's Force Ghost, Luke had to turn his attention elsewhere. He called out to another friend, whom he shared a close bond with. "Leia ! Hear me, Leia !"

Aboard the Millennium Falcon, Leia sensed Luke's message. How ? She didn't know. She had to save him, though. " _Luke._ " She turned to the other 3. "We've got to go back."

Lando looked at her in shock. "What ?"

"I know where Luke is." She explained.

Lando kept his eye on the radar screen. "But what about those Fighters ?"

While Chewie seemed to agree with Lando, Leia pressed the pilot. "Chewie, just do it."

Mina sat back in her chair, realizing what was happening. " _So Leia is Force-Sensitive too ? Could she be… ?_ "

Lando certainly didn't want to be caught up in the Empire's schemes again. "But what about Vader ?"

Chewie growled at Lando, getting him to comply. "All right, all right, all right !"

The Millennium Falcon turned around and flew back to the underside of Cloud City.

 **Vader's Shuttle Landing Platform**

Darth Vader, now having lost Luke, made a quick run for his shuttle. "At least, the Apprentice's daughter can still be gained."

Once he entered his shuttle, he found his Commander, still caught in what should be Mina's holding cell. Deactivating it, he slumped towards him. "Lord Vader… I… I am SO sorry… The prisoner… She… she escaped !"

Vader's anger got the better of him. In a moment, the Commander's throat was crushed. He dropped to the ground, lifeless, much like Captain Needa a while back. "Apology accepted, Commander."

 **Skies of Bespin**

As the Millennium Falcon approached Luke's location, it slowed down to stop beneath him. Leia could see him from the cockpit window. "Lando, open the top hatch."

Lando went over and climbed a ladder, carefully attaching him to one of the bars with a grappling hook. Once he surfaced from the top hatch, he caught Luke in his arms. And just in time, as some Tie-Fighters were about to intercept them.

Once Luke was safely placed into a bed. Leia quickly looked over him. It looked that Luke suffered some major wounds. The ship was rattled by the ongoing fire of the pursuing Tie-Fighters. Leia knelt over to him and kissed him. "I'll be back."

Once they entered space, they were greeted not so warmly. Leia looked over the cockpit window. "Star Destroyer."

Lando was ready to forget about all his troubles with the Empire. "All right, Chewie. Ready for light-speed ?"

Leia gave a stern look at Lando. "If your people fixed the hyperdrive."

Chewie grunted a remark, flicking a switch. The same whine as before.

Now Lando really felt betrayed. "They told me they fixed it ! I trusted them ! It's not my fault !"

Chewie roared in anger. Mina seconded his sentiment. "Terrific ! We have but moments before we're boarded ! Come on, Chewie ! Let's get to work !"

As the Falcon was being pursued by Tie-Fighters, the Executor stood there, waiting. At the bridge, Admiral Piett quickly ran to Vader. "They'll be in range of our tractor beam in moments, my Lord."

Vader paced around the nervous Admiral. "Did your men deactivate the hyperdrive on the Millennium Falcon ?"

Piett looked over a datapad. "Yes, my Lord."

Vader wanted everyone alive. "Good. Prepare the boarding party and set your weapons for stun."

The Admiral quickly nodded. "Yes, my Lord !"

Inside the Millennium Falcon's main room, R2 rolled around, beeping some information that C3PO deemed unimportant. Chewbacca and Mina entered, quickly opening the controls for the hyperdrive. "Noisy people ! Why don't we just go into light-speed ?"

R2 beeped a response. "We can't ? How would you know the hyperdrive is deactivated ?" C3PO queried.

R2 responded with a series of beeps. "The City's Central Computer told you ? R2-D2, you know better than to trust a strange computer !" R2 responded to C3PO's remark by shocking him a bit. "Ouch ! Pay attention to what you're doing !"

While Lando and Leia awaited the repairs with bated breath, Vader stood close to the Executor's viewport. He contacted Luke through the Force. "Luke."

Luke, still bedded, sensed his father's connection through his Force Bond. "Father."

Vader truly wanted him back. "Son, come with me."

Luke struggled to get up, moaning in pain. "Ben, why didn't you tell me ?"

Both Chewie and Mina were hard at work trying to figure out what was wrong with the hyperdrive. In the Falcon's cockpit, Luke joined Leia and Lando. Looking at the Executor, he could feel his father's presence. "It's Vader."

Back at the Executor's bridge, Vader still tried to reach out to him. "Luke… It is your destiny."

Luke still felt a bit angry for Obi-Wan's twisting of the truth. "Ben… Why didn't you tell me ?"

Piett was ready and waiting for Vader's signal. "Alert all commands. Ready for the tractor beam."

While R2 was still rolling around, C3PO was almost assembled. There was still a leg left. He leaned on to a wall. "R2, come back at once ! You haven't finished with me yet ! You don't know how to fix the hyperdrive ! Chewbacca or Mina can do it ! I'm standing here in pieces… and you're having delusions of grandeur !"

R2 fiddled with a certain switch, activating the hyperdrive. As the ship went to the speed of light, everyone was caught by surprise.

Aboard the Executor, all of the officers looked at Vader, terrified of his reaction to their apparent failure. To their shock and surprise, the Sith Lord merely walked off the bridge to his meditation room.

 **In Space, aboard a Medical Frigate**

Luke was quickly brought up to the medical bay and immediately operated on. Hours later, he found himself to bear a cybernetic hand. Lando and Chewie had planned to search for Jabba's Palace to rescue Han.

In the Falcon's cockpit, Lando took charge for once. "Luke, we're ready for takeoff."

"Good luck, Lando."

Lando sounded hopeful. "When we find Jabba the Hutt and that Bounty Hunter, we'll contact you."

Luke had a feeling they'd succeed. "I'll meet you at the rendezvous point on Tatooine."

Lando then addressed Leia personally. "Leia, we'll find Han. I promise."

Luke wished them the best. "Chewie, I'll be waiting for your signal. Take care, you two. May the Force be with you."

As the Falcon set out for Tatooine, Luke looked over to the stars with Leia and Mina by his side, along with R2 and C3PO.

Mina placed a hand on Luke's shoulder. "Ok. That's the first part of our rescue plan for Han. Now… you need training with your lightsaber. When you're ready to go, I'll take you to meet… my mother. She'll teach you better than I ever could."

 **Woo ! Empire Strikes Back is finally wrapped up ! I really, really hope I gave it the honor it deserved. Such an awesome part of the overall series. Next chapter, Luke meets Ahsoka and Lux on Lah'mu. Mina, on her side, will be involved in a dangerous undercover mission. Feel free to leave a review.**


	13. Enter Valyria, the Togruta Bounty Hunter

**Erso Farm, Lah'mu, 4 ABY**

Several rotations following Luke's recovery from his duel, Mina guided him to her parents' home, sharing the coordinates with him. Several hours of hyperspace travel and they finally landed near the fields.

Mina was the first to step out of her ship. "Ok, Luke. This is it. Remember, these coordinates are to be kept in utmost secrecy. No one may know them, not even Leia or Senator Mothma. Understood ?"

"You really want your parents to be believed dead, right ?" Luke asked.

Mina nodded. "Yes, for their safety. Should the Empire learn that they're alive, my parents are as good as truly dead. That's something _I_ don't want to happen."

"Understandable. So… they've made a living here for the past 4 years just farming ?

"That's right ! And they've succeeded admirably. Wait till you try Dad's homegrown Jogan fruits, they're so juicy !" Mina's mouth watered at the thought of her favorite fruit.

Once they've arrived closer to the house, an unmistakable silhouette came towards them, her arms wide open. Mina was overjoyed. "Mom ! It's been so long !" She quickly wrapped herself in her mother's embrace.

Ahsoka broke off her embrace after a minute-long hug with her daughter. "Welcome back, Mina. You've certainly grown a bit last I saw you. How are things ?"

"Things have been hectic as of late, Mom. To start things off, the Empire managed to track us down on Hoth and destroyed our base. I escaped with Captain Solo, Chewbacca and Princess Leia. We were chased down by the Empire in space until we managed to lose them and make our way to Bespin. There, the Empire had already claimed control of the planet and we were temporarily captives. I think a Bounty Hunter named Boba Fett tracked us to Bespin.

A man named Lando Calrissian, whom was the director of the Tibanna gas mine, rescued us from the Empire's hold. Unfortunately, there was a major loss. Captain Solo has been frozen in carbonite and was brought over to Jabba the Hutt. As of now, Lando and Chewbacca are searching for Jabba's Palace. I would certainly like to help out." Mina explained.

Ahsoka turned her attention to Luke. "There's no doubt you're the son of Anakin. You're the spitting image of him. It's nice to finally meet you, Luke. I'm Ahsoka. I knew your father quite well. He was my Master during the Clone Wars. I've been contacted by Master Yoda a while back. It appears you need some Lightsaber training ? It'll be my pleasure to show you everything that I've learned over the years." She shook his hand.

Luke rubbed his neck in embarrassment. "Uh, thanks. Mina really speaks highly of you and your husband."

Lux came from behind Ahsoka, shaking Luke's hand. "Welcome, son of Skywalker. Any friend of Mina is a friend of ours. Without a doubt, my wife will bring you up to speed with your Jedi training in no time !" He turned his attention to his daughter. "Excuse me for overhearing, Mina, but Captain Solo has been captured ? Taken to Jabba's Palace of all places ? And Boba Fett was involved ? I can't blame you for wanting to get involved. Captain Solo has done a lot of deliveries for the Rebellion in the past. It's the least we could do. Why don't you come inside with me and we'll talk ? I have an idea."

As Mina and Lux went inside to talk, Luke and Ahsoka were left on their own. Luke could see where Mina came from. It was the first time he'd seen an older female Togruta. Despite Ahsoka being in her late '30s, she looked in her early '20s. She was remarkably fit for her age. Luke could tell that she likely maintained her figure over the years consistently.

There was an uncomfortable silence between the two at first. Ahsoka decided to break the ice. "Why don't you show me your skills ? I can pinpoint how far you are in your training and what we need to do to get you on track." Ahsoka offered.

Luke ignited his lightsaber and did a few basic moves. "Well. What do you think ?"

Ahsoka sat on a nearby boulder, looking at him in his eyes. "I'll be honest with you, Luke. Those moves are often practiced by Younglings from what I remember back at the Temple. During the days of the Old Republic… before the Empire was formed."

Luke felt slightly insulted. "Youngling ? Almost like baby-level, you mean ?!"

"Anyone from 3 to 16 is usually considered a Youngling, Luke. Of course, you're older than the norm. Since you've only discovered the Force in you, you do have a lot of training to catch up on. But I have to ask… With those skills, have you been involved in any duels ?" She feared the answer.

Luke sighed deeply, showing off his mechanical arm. "Yes. I've fought against Darth Vader while on Bespin."

Ahsoka's eyes went wide in shock. "You fought Vader and lived ?! I thought I was the only one to claim that feat."

"Well, I think he spared me because…"

"He's your father." Ahsoka finished for him. "Yes, I've also discovered the truth. I'm still having trouble understanding how Anakin went from one of the most compassionate Jedi I've ever known to the Sith Lord he is now… I fear that you'll have to fight him again at one point in the future. There's no guarantee he'll spare you again, so you'll have to be ready. For the next couple of weeks, I'm going to train you in all the lightsaber combat forms. Are you up for the challenge ?"

"Like I said with Yoda. I'm not afraid. I won't fail you, Ahsoka."

Ahsoka gave off a gentle smile. "I know you won't. We'll start off tomorrow morning, bright and early, ok ?" She lead him to her home.

Inside, Lux was busy entering some coordinates for a holo-call. "Let's hope he's still around."

An image fizzled for a bit, then it became solid, revealing a man whom seemed aged by war. "Who is this ?"

"Hutch, it has been a while." Lux answered.

Hutch looked shocked. "Woah ! Bonteri ? Is that you ?! You haven't changed at all ! It's been over 20 years since we've fought against the Separatists on Onderon."

Lux chuckled. "Indeed. It has been a long time." Luke motioned to Ahsoka and Mina. "You remember Ahsoka Tano, don't you ? Would you believe that we've met a year after the formation of the Empire and we got married ? Here is our daughter, Mina. She turned 22 not too long ago. She's quite active with the Rebel Alliance."

Hutch couldn't help but snicker. "Well, you two certainly didn't wait long to get comfy with each other, huh ? But… you didn't contact me to just show me your family… right ?"

Lux got to the point. "Right. We're in need of a favor. We require your hacking skills."

"Heh heh ! Well… I wasn't known as "The Cashier from Hell" for nothing, you know ? I'd like to get this done before Hero gets back. She's planning a crazy dinner as always. So, what can I do for you ?"

Lux cleared his throat. "To keep things brief, a friend of ours has been captured and Mina volunteers to act as an undercover agent to help out several others whom are also involved in his rescue. In order to search around undetected, we've come to the conclusion that she could play the role of a Bounty Hunter quite well. How hard would it be for you to hack into the Bounty Hunter's Guild holo-site and create a fake account ?"

Hutch raised an eyebrow. "That's it ? Here I thought, you were going to give me a challenge ! Ok, give me a few moments to log on to their network."

Moments later, Hutch motioned Mina to come closer. "Ok, Mina. We're going to create your profile. We need a name first, as obvious as it sounds… Any ideas ?"

Mina thought long and hard for a moment. "Something unheard of… Something… mystical ? Uhhh…. Oh, I know ! How about… "Valyria" ?"

Hutch double-checked for doubles. "Valyria, huh ? Awesome ! There's no one by that name… yet. Ok, next part. What would be your claim to fame ?"

Mina didn't think twice for her answer. "I killed Cad Bane ! Thus making me #2 after Boba Fett ! Yes ! I like the sound of that !"

"Beautiful ! Ok, we're almost done ! Now, I need a profile picture !" Hutch held off until provided the last bit.

Lux interrupted the two. "Wait a moment ! Hutch, can you give us… 5 to 10 minutes ?"

Hutch scratched his head, confused. "Uh, ok. But make it snappy, will ya ? Hero doesn't like it when I'm not sitting down when it's dinner time."

"We'll be right back ! Mina. Ahsoka. Come with me." Lux lead the two to the medical room.

Mina raised an eye marking. "Exactly why are we here, Dad ?"

"Since Boba Fett has seen you before, he'll recognize you the moment you show up. We'll need to give you a makeover." Lux prepared a 2-B surgical droid, scanning for images of other Togrutas. He found one of a similarly aged female with different face markings along with green stripes on her lekku instead of Mina's blue stripes inherited from her mother.

"A makeover ? H-how ?" She asked.

Ahsoka set her daughter on the operation table. "It's something the Jedi Council did with Master Kenobi during the Clone Wars. Basically, you'll take the appearance of another Togruta, thus making you unrecognizable by Fett."

"Now, this will likely sting a bit." Lux warned.

Her eyesight caught the droid's needle closing in. "Well of course it's going to sting ! I'm seeing a humongous needle about to be jabbed into my neck !"

"Facial transformation program loaded." The surgical droid readied its serum.

"Here goes !" Once the needle was inserted, Mina was in intense pain. "Ahhhhhh !"

Lux grabbed hold of Mina's head while Ahsoka secured her legs. "Hold her ! Hold her !"

Seconds later, Mina's physical transformation was complete. She looked herself in a mirror. "Ahhhhgggg ! That's _not_ me ! That is _so_ not me !"

Lux couldn't help but snicker at her reaction. "Of course not. Mina Bonteri is pushed to the side… for now. You are now Valyria, the Galaxy's 2nd most ruthless Bounty Hunter. Jabba the Hutt will accept you in his social circle, no questions asked !"

Ahsoka searched around in a nearby cabinet. "We're not done yet, Mina. We have one last modification to do before we send you off." She came back with an odd-looking sphere.

Mina focused her gaze on the unfamiliar object. "And what is that supposed to do ?"

"It's a vocal emulator. We'll need to mask your voice so Fett won't have any doubts about you." Ahsoka explained.

Mina took the sphere in her hands. Pressing a button, it extended several legs to crawl around. "How does this work actually ?"

"Well… uh… you swallow it, basically." Ahsoka couldn't help but smirk at the situation.

"Oh, great ! Ok, here goes ! I better not choke on this !" She inserted the vocal emulator in her mouth, feeling it crawl down her stomach. "Urk ! Gah ! Oof ! Well… that went better than expected. Wait ! My voice is all wrong ! Who has a voice like this ?!"

"This is the voice of the late Sith Assassin, Asajj Ventress. I don't think Fett will remember it. According to some Bounty Hunting logs, Ventress teamed up Fett's group during a mission on Quarzite. Ok, let's take a quick snapshot and we'll transfer it to Hutch." Ahsoka readied the camera. "Look fearsome ! Come on, don't be afraid to show off those Togruta fangs ! That's it ! And… done !"

Mina rolled her eyes. "This rescue mission better be worth all this effort ! I want to return to my former self the moment I get back !"

"With these changes, no one will ever guess that you're a Senator's daughter. You better meet up with your friends on Tatooine." He hugged her a bit. "Stay safe. Come back to us, you hear ?"

Mina rolled her eyes. "After having endured so much from the Empire, you'd expect me to falter in the smelly home of a Hutt ? Not likely !" Mina gave a slight glance at her mother. "This new voice will take some time getting used to."

Back at the main room, Luke did a double-take once he was a different Togruta girl entering the room. "Huh ? Mina didn't tell me she had a sister !"

She punched him on the shoulder. "Idiot ! It's me ! Though my looks and voice are different. It's exactly what I needed in order to infiltrate Jabba's social circle. Myself, Chewbacca or Lando will signal you when it's your cue to make your grand entrance. Until then, my mother will give you quite the workout ! I can guarantee you that !"

Lux and Ahsoka joined the two to the main room. "Hutch, have you received the mug shot ?"

He nodded. "Yep ! Ohhh ! Now that's a scary shot ! Once Fett or Jabba looks into your credentials, they'll be impressed. Ok, it's uploaded and the profile is complete. And just in time too ! Hero just finished preparing dinner ! It's been nice chatting with you, Bonteri. Good luck to you all !" Hutch's hologram fazed out.

"Guess it's time for me to head out. Now, Luke, remember : Listen to what my mother tells you during training : She knows best." Mina walked out to her X-Wing and flew off towards Tatooine.

 **Dune Sea, near Jabba's Palace, Tatooine**

Having hidden the Millennium Falcon behind a rock formation, Lando began to look over the plan to rescue Han.

"Let's see here… Mina is masquerading as a Bounty Hunter. Me and her will go to meet Jabba first. Once we're in, we'll send in C3PO and R2 to deliver Luke's message. Once that's done, Leia, also disguised as a Bounty Hunter, will enter with you as her "captive". Finally, Luke himself will come in and we'll hopefully rescue Han without too many issues."

Chewie barked and growled a few remarks. "Yeah, yeah. Everything will go smoothly, I'm sure. What's that ? An X-Wing approaching ? It's gotta be Mina !"

As Lando and Chewie descended the boarding ramp, they were surprised to see a very different person. "And… who might you be ?"

Chewie recognized Mina by her scent. He quickly ran over and wrapped her in a hug. "I should've known your nose couldn't be fooled, buddy."

Lando did a double-take. "Mina ?! You look ah… interesting. And what's with that weird voice ?"

"Precautions, Lando. With my new looks and voice, Fett won't know that I'm the same girl he briefly met on Cloud City. Shall we be off ?" Mina lead Lando through a path which lead to Jabba's Palace.

Once the two were cleared entry, they met with Bib Fortuna, Jabba's majordomo.

"Ahhh… I see our new guard is being delivered." He set his sights on Mina. "And who might you be ?"

"I am Valyria, a Bounty Hunter. I came to offer my "services" to your Master. I believe I can protect him well enough." Mina was clothed very sparingly, not afraid to show off her curvaceous form. On her, she had a variety of blasters and hunting weapons. Hidden under her leggings, were her lightsabers.

Fortuna lead the two to Jabba the Hutt. He bowed before his Master. "My Lord, a new guard has arrived. And we've gained a new Bounty Hunter. Allow me to introduce Valyria, Shili's most ruthless hunter. She can help out with Boba Fett to protect you from assassins."

Jabba seemed pleased. " _ **Welcome, Valyria ! Going on your profile in the Bounty Hunter's Guild, you've killed Cad Bane ! Very impressive ! Yes, you'll fit right in with my court ! Stick around, the show is about to start !**_ "

Mina bowed politely before the Hutt. "I aim to please, Mighty Jabba. May luck bring me close to your enemies, so I can destroy them in your name !"

There was a young Twi'lek female with blue skin, sitting at Jabba's side. Jabba had her chain removed and pressed a button to open the trapdoor. Falling in, everyone in the room immediately ran over to the grate so they could see the spectacle. Below, the enormous gate opened to reveal Jabba's Rancor. Mina had fought her urges to save her. She watched with the rest as the Rancor grabbed the girl and tore her head off with a bite, ending her terrified screams. Mina would bide her time before making a move. " _Not now ! I have to play the part and do this scumbag's dirty jobs until the time comes. At least he accepted me into his court without thinking. That would be one of his greatest mistakes. He'll soon see…_ "

Over the course of the evening, Mina and Lando kept a low profile, just staring at the patrons enjoying themselves to the music and drinks. Soon, Jabba would see what it's like to underestimate a Jedi.

 **Ok, so we're starting up the Return of the Jedi segment. The character of Hutch is used with permission by Lux's Sister. I do hope I caught his personality well enough. Over the next chapter, we'll see a bit of Luke's training with Ahsoka and we'll also see some events at Jabba's Palace unfold as everyone rescues Han. Feel free to leave a review.**


	14. Han is finally Free !

**In Space, orbiting the Forest Moon of Endor**

A Star Destroyer slowly approached the second incarnation of the Death Star. Flying out of the hangar, an Imperial shuttle flanked by a couple of Tie-Fighter escorts, headed off towards the battle station.

The pilot began a transmission. "Command station, this is ST-321. Code clearance Blue. We're starting our approach. Deactivate the security shield."

At the main control room of the new Death Star, a controller intercepted the transmission. "The security deflector shield will be deactivated when we have confirmation of your code transmission. Stand by." The code is viewed through a special screen, along with a schematics image of the shuttle in question. "You are cleared to proceed."

"We're starting our approach." The shuttle hastened its flight towards the Death Star. Once it was close enough, the Tie-Fighter escorts broke formation and returned to their designated Star Destroyer.

The alarm blared as the shuttle landed in a specific hangar. The controller turned over to the shield operator. "Inform the Commander that Lord Vader's shuttle has arrived."

In the hangar, troops aligned in well-ordered files as Commander Jerjerrod walked over to the shuttle. As the boarding ramp lowered itself, he swallowed a lump nervously, knowing Vader's presence was to quicken the construction of the new Death Star.

Once Vader descended from his shuttle, Jerjerrod quickly rushed to his side. "Lord Vader, this is an unexpected pleasure. We are honored by your presence."

Vader had no time for small talk. "You may dispense with the pleasantries, Commander. I'm here to put you back on schedule."

Jerjerrod tried in vain to defend his staff. "I assure you, Lord Vader, my men are working as fast as they can."

Having the recent reports, Vader wasn't impressed. "Perhaps I can find new ways to motivate them."

Sensing that Vader alluded to torture, Jerjerrod tensed up. "I tell you, this station will be operational as planned."

"The Emperor does not share your optimistic appraisal of the situation."

"But he asks the impossible ! I need more men !" Jerjerrod argued.

Vader looked at the Commander straight in the eyes, becoming even more menacing. "Then perhaps you can tell him when he arrives."

Jerjerrod did a double-take, a horrified look on his face. "The Emperor's coming here ?!"

"That is correct, Commander. And he is most displeased with your apparent lack of progress." That made Jerjerrod even more nervous.

He quickly came to a resolution. "We shall double our efforts !"

"I hope so, Commander, for your sake. The Emperor is not as forgiving as I am." Vader pointed at him, a stern warning of what could possibly happen should he fail.

 **Erso Farm, Lah'mu**

Luke was caught up gazing at the horizon. " _This should be my last day here. Ahsoka really did cover all the important combat forms. No wonder Ben spoke so highly of her._ "

Ahsoka arrived, holding on to a 3rd lightsaber. "Ok, Luke. I have to say that you've performed admirably well over the last couple of weeks. No doubt you've inherited your father's proficiency with a lightsaber. We've got one last combat form to cover : Jar'Kai. Basically, you wield two lightsabers instead of one."

Luke shook his head, declining her offer. "Nah, two lightsabers just isn't me. I believe I've held my own against you rather well with just one."

She raised an eye marking. "You sure about this ? Well then… do you have time for a last sparring session ?"

"Always." Like ignited his green lightsaber while Ahsoka had her two white ones.

She wailed on him. "One ! Two ! Three ! Four ! Strike ! Block ! One ! Two ! Three ! Four ! Strike ! Block ! Block ! Strike ! Strike ! Block ! Block ! One ! Two ! Three ! Four ! Yes, that's it ! You're holding your ground really well !" They traded blows and often got into a saberlock. Luke quickly learned how to break out of them, to Ahsoka's contentment.

Luke wiped the sweat off his brow. "Whew ! When Mina told me you'd give me a workout, she wasn't kidding ! Not that I'm complaining, I guess I really needed to learn from you."

Ahsoka extinguished one of her sabers. She motioned Luke to kneel in front of her. "I guess this concludes your training. Luke, son of Anakin Skywalker, by the will of the late Council, by the will of the Force, I now pronounce you… Jedi Knight of the Old Republic and Rebel Alliance. Master Yoda would want me to make your upgraded rank official in his absence. You've passed all sorts of trials in your journey to become the Jedi you are today. Remember that you never stop learning. The Force is always present to guide you. Congratulations !"

Luke looked up to the Togruta woman, smiling. "You really are as good as Mina says, Ahsoka. I really feel now that I have complete control over my ability with the Force. And with the new lightsaber combat forms you've taught me, I'll be able to hold my own against Darth Vader next time I meet him."

Ahsoka bade him farewell as she lead him to his X-Wing. "You better meet up with R2 and C3PO. I have faith that you'll succeed in rescuing Captain Solo. Luke, may the Force be with you !"

"Thanks for everything again ! I'll return after the Empire is defeated. I promise." Luke started off his X-Wing and entered the coordinates for Tatooine. After a few hours of hyperspace travel, he finally arrived at his destination. The first thing he did upon landing was to record his message when he was alone with R2. The next day, he sent the pair to deliver the message.

 **Jabba's Palace, Tatooine**

On the road leading to the Hutt's palace, R2 and C3PO argued about the chances of success with the mission.

"Of course, I'm worried. And you should be too. Lando Calrissian and poor Chewbacca never returned from this awful place."

R2 beeped a reply, causing C3PO to quickly turn to him. "What ? Mistress Mina is with them too ?! Oh, my ! Hopefully, they haven't been captured… or worse."

After R2 beeped another series of whistles, C3PO stopped for a moment. "Don't be too sure ! If I told you half the things I've heard about this Jabba the Hutt, you'd probably short-circuit."

R2 responded with a series of worries beeps.

As they arrived near an enormous door. "R2, are you sure this is the right place ? I better knock, I suppose ?" C3PO knocked briefly and waited barely a second for a response. "There doesn't seem to be anyone here ! Let's go back and tell Master Luke."

A hatch in the middle opened, revealing a robotic eye, speaking in Huttese. " _ **Who are you and what business have you here ?!**_ "

C3PO, fluent in 6 million forms of communications, introduced himself and his counterpart. " _ **He is R2. I am C3PO. We request an audience with Jabba the Hutt.**_ "

The eye gazed at the two. " _ **Silly droids ! Jabba will soon have you in his service ! Ha ha ha ha !**_ " The eye retracted back into the wall.

C3PO was about to turn back. "I don't think they're going to let us in, R2. We better go."

As C3PO made a step, the gigantic door creaked open. R2 rolled right in once the entrance was high enough. C3PO was reluctant to follow him. "R2, wait ! R2 ! R2, I don't think we should rush into this !" He notices a spider-like creature going for the exit. "Oh, R2 ! R2, wait for me !"

R2 was just rolling about, beeping happily when he bumped into a Gamorrean, a pig-like alien with a rather fearsome look. C3PO quickly caught up to the astromech, only to be surrounded by the guards. "Just deliver Master Luke's message and get us out of here. Oh, my ! Oh !"

Noticing the door was closed, C3PO knew they were trapped to this point. "Oh, no."

Bib Fortuna, Jabba's majordomo, greeted them in Huttese. " _ **Welcome ! What brings you droids here ?**_ "

C3PO got to the point, stuttering slightly. "Oh, my ! We… we bring a message to your Master, Jabba the Hutt."

R2 added a detail unknown to C3PO. He translated the Binary absentmindedly. "… and a gift." He did a double-take. "Gift ? What gift ?"

Bib tried to pry the information from R2. " _ **What is your message, little one ? Important news from the Grand Hutt Council ? Or a threat from one of the Master's many enemies ? I'm sure Boba or Valyria would claim them soon enough !**_ "

R2 simply shook his dome and replied with a series of beeps. "He says that our instructions are to be given only to Jabba himself. I'm terribly sorry, I'm afraid he's ever so stubborn about these sort of things." C3PO explained.

Sensing he wasn't going to get anything, Bib motioned the droids to follow him.

 **Jabba's Throne Room**

The slimy gangster rested on a large platform, indulging in drinks and Klatooine paddy frogs whenever he felt like it. His pet Kowakian Monkey-Lizard, Salacious B. Crumb, stood by the edge of the platform, keeping an eye on all patrons.

At a distant table, there were a group of people playing Sabacc, comprising of a Weequay, a Rodian, a Human and a Bith. The Weequay, while being heavily drunk, went ahead to order himself another drink. "Now, gentlemen, don't go off running, huh ? I'll be back soon, ha ha !"

He passed by Valyria and froze on her. He blinked a few times and let out an audible gasp. "Little Mina… is it really you ? You've sure sprouted, huh ? You remember your old "Uncle" Hondo, don't you ?"

Mina grabbed him by the throat and brought him to an empty hall, slamming him into a wall. She bared her fangs at him. "How could I forget _you_?! You double-crossed my parents when they asked you to deliver some supplies for the Rebellion ! You're lucky the Imperial patrol you've notified missed them at the time !"

Hondo tried to pacify her. "Now, now, now ! Let's not dwell so much on the past… You know, I'm always about profit ! I try to make some small fortune in any way I can ! Can you blame me ? What… brings you here ? And what happened to your voice ?"

Mina released her hold over him. "I'm undercover on a risky mission. Myself and several others are gathering to free Captain Solo from his carbon prison. For all intents and purposes, you know me as Valyria, the 2nd most ruthless Bounty Hunter in the Galaxy… after Boba Fett. Don't blow my cover, huh ?"

Hondo simply patted her on the back. "Ah ha ha ha ! Of course not, my beautiful friend ! I would never dream of making your mission more difficult… unless I could profit from it !"

Mina tensed up. "Hondo ! Don't you dare !"

"I'm kidding, of course ! Oh, what a surprise seeing you here ! Now, if you'll excuse me… I do need to use the refresher." He went off to relieve himself.

Mina pinched her nose, catching his breath. As always, he already had a bit too much to drink. "Why am I not surprised ? Whew ! What is that smell anyways ? Sure was strong !" She probed his thoughts through the Force. " _He's too liquored up to squeal. He likely won't remember our meeting._ "

She made her way back to the main room. Boba stood at a corner. He motioned Mina to join him. "What was that all about ?"

"Psh ! Drunken fool mistook me for someone else ! I dragged him out so I could lay a good beating on him." She lied.

Fett looked surprised. "You mean you didn't kill him ?! Are you going soft ?"

Mina rolled her eyes. "Little satisfaction in taking out a drunken person. Besides, that guy had more than his share. He won't remember anything by tomorrow morning."

Mina's attention turned when she heard an astromech rolling around. Fett conveniently left off to some unknown place in the palace. R2 rolled in front of her, beeping happily. She knelt down to him, whispering. "Don't blow my cover, little buddy. Here, take these and keep them safe." She offered him her lightsabers, making sure no one was paying attention.

C3PO rallied his counterpart. "R2, we're supposed to be meeting Jabba the Hutt. Stop stalling !"

The two arrived before the enormous slug-like criminal. "Hello."

" _ **Welcome.**_ "

C3PO wanted to get their task over with. "The message, R2. The message."

R2 played a hologram showing Luke.

"Greetings, Exalted One. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knight and friend to Captain Solo. I know that you are powerful, mighty Jabba, and your anger with Solo must be equally powerful. I seek an audience with Your Greatness to bargain for Solo's life."

Jabba and the majority of the patrons laughed in response.

Luke's message continued. "With your wisdom, I'm sure that we can work out an arrangement which will be mutually beneficial and enable us to avoid some unpleasant confrontation. As a token of my goodwill, I present you a gift : these two droids." He motioned to R2 and C3PO.

C3PO definitely didn't see this coming. "What did he say ?"

"Both are hardworking, and will serve you well." Luke's hologram disappeared.

"This can't be ! R2, you're playing the wrong message !" C3PO wanted to slap his dome.

Salacious definitely seemed amused by the droid's reaction, causing him to laugh at his misfortune.

Bib whispered some advice to his Master. " _ **Don't listen to him. He's no Jedi !**_ "

Jabba had already made his decision. " _ **There will be no bargain.**_ "

C3PO turned worriedly to his friend. "We're doomed."

" _ **I will not give up my favorite decoration. I like Captain Solo where he is.**_ " He motioned to the Carbonite slab on a nearby wall.

C3PO's memory banks went back to the moment when he was frozen in Cloud City on Bespin. "R2, look ! Captain Solo. And he's still frozen in carbonite !"

Jabba and his patrons simply laughed as they looked at Han's pained and sad expression, frozen.

The guards lead R2 and C3PO through a hallway littered with holding cells. During the trek, C3PO wondered how he ended up here. "What could have possibly come over Master Luke ? Was it something I did ? He never expressed any unhappiness with my work…" As he passed close to a cell, a hand tried to grab him. "Oh, apologies !" By the end of the hallway, a tentacle latched onto him. "Ohhhh !" The following Gamorrean quickly swatted the tentacle away as they entered a room where droids were either dismantled or tortured.

The pair stopped before EV-9D9, the droid apparently in charge of setting up other droids for work. "Ah, good. New acquisitions. You are a protocol droid, are you not ?" He pointed to C3PO.

C3PO introduced himself as usual, before being cut off rather rudely. "I am C3PO, human-cy…"

"Yes or no will do." EV-9D9 replied plainly.

C3PO quickly nodded. "Oh. Well yes."

"How many languages do you speak ?"

C3PO couldn't pass up a chance to boast his communication skills. "I am fluent in over 6 million forms of communication and can readily…"

EV-9D9 cut him off again. "Splendid ! We have been without an interpreter since our Master got angry with our last protocol droid and disintegrated him."

"Disintegrated ?" C3PO turned to see the former protocol droid, held up in wires, being shocked and in pieces.

C3PO would perform his duties well enough, so EV-9D9 sent him out to work. "Guards ! This protocol droid might be useful. Fit him with a restraining bolt and take him back to his Excellency's Main Audience chamber."

As C3PO is dragged out back, he sees more disassembled droids. "R2, don't leave me ! Ohhh !"

Once C3PO was gone, R2 beeped a series of angry whistles. EV-9D9, however, wasn't intimidated in the least. "You're a feisty little one, but you'll soon learn some respect. I have need for you on the Master's Sail Barge. And I think you'll fit in nicely !"

Back at the main chamber, a major party was taking place. Loud music was played by the Max Rebo Band and a couple of dancers entertained both Jabba and his patrons. As Hondo and his friends were still playing Sabacc and drinking more and more, Boba and Valyria were keeping a close eye for any sign of trouble.

A beautiful, young female Twi'lek by the name of Oola was being asked to sit by the crimelord. Seeing how Jabba stared at her with lustful eyes, she refused. Jabba attempted to yank her towards him, but she fought back. After a moment of struggle, Jabba had enough and activated his trapdoor. Once Oola fell in the Rancor's pit, everyone, including Hondo, stopped whatever they were doing to witness the carnage. This had to be Mina's least favorite form of "entertainment" here. A part of her wanted to save Oola, but she had to remind herself that she had to retain her cover as a Bounty Hunter until Han was released from the carbonite.

Once Oola was devoured by Jabba's Rancor, everyone went back to business as usual. Of course, Hondo seemed slightly bothered by the practice. "Psh ! You know, back in my younger days, I had some beautiful Twi"lek servants. They brought me my drinks, my food… and so much more ! It's such a waste of a beautiful girl, I think !" He muttered to himself.

Mina tilted towards Hondo. "I never thought I'd say this, but it sounds like you had more respect and appreciation for them that he ever would !"

Hondo quickly took a swig of his drink and pulled Mina towards him. "Well, you know… they never gave me reason to kill them… Some of my men may have been a bit rude to them, but they had little reason to fight back. Of course, those beauties left by the time Grievous turned my once beautiful headquarters into a real dump. And that was the time… your mother and I made a truce… kind of. We escaped my headquarters and there was a Youngling that rode with me. I was about to abandon the rest and your mother to save my life… but that girl made me change my mind. I was surprised at how well she protected the Younglings from Grievous. She was good, no doubt about that !"

Mina squirmed out of Hondo's grasp. "You're not that bad a person, "Uncle" Hondo. If you were to meet my parents now, they'd likely forgive and forget your semi-treachery." Mina's thoughts were broken once she heard blaster shots by the entrance. "Excuse me, I need to see what's going on !"

One of Jabba's patrons tried to block a person's entry, but was quickly shoved to a wall. A Bounty Hunter by the name of Boushh arrived with a familiar-looking Wookie in chains. "I have come for the bounty on this Wookie." The Bounty Hunter's tongue was Ubese, processed electronically.

C3PO quickly recognized his furry friend. "Oh, no ! Chewbacca !"

Jabba seemed pleased by the capture. " _ **At last we have the mighty Chewbacca !**_ " Jabba motioned C3PO to come to him.

C3PO complied, quickly reminded himself what happened to the last droid that displeased him. "Oh, uh, oh, uh, yes. I am here, Your Worshipfulness… Uh… Yes ?"

Jabba pointed to Boushh and the Wookie. " _ **Welcome him and tell him that I'll gladly pay the reward of 25 000 !**_ "

C3PO quickly translated his Huttese. "The Illustrious Jabba bids you welcome and will gladly pay you the reward of 25 000."

Boushh didn't seem satisfied by his answer. "I want 50 000. No less."

C3PO quickly turned to his Master. "50 000. No less."

Jabba knocked the droid to the back of his platform. " _ **Stupid droid !**_ " He turned his attention to Boushh. " _ **Who are you to make such demands of me ?! I am a member of the Grand Hutt Council ! You have no such authority to dictate your amount, Bounty Hunter !**_ "

C3PO nervously walked back to Jabba, now slightly covered in green slime. "Oh… uh… but… what, what did I say ?"

Jabba's patience was thinning. " _ **Ask him why I must pay the sum of 50 000 ? I'd need a real good reason !**_ "

"The Mighty Jabba asks why he must pay 50 000 ?"

Boushh produced an unmistakable metal sphere in his hand. "How's this for a reason ?"

C3PO knew instantly what it was and panicked. "Because he's holding a thermal detonator !"

The patrons screamed in terror and huddled themselves while Boba and Valyria aimed their blasters towards Boushh. Jabba, on the other hand, seemed amused.

" _ **This Bounty Hunter is my kind of scum. Fearless and inventive. Perhaps a 3**_ _ **rd**_ _ **protector wouldn't be such a bad idea. Droid, tell him that I offer 35. He'd better take it… or else.**_ "

"Jabba offers a sum of 35. And I do suggest you take it."

Boushh seemed to contemplate for a moment. "Good enough."

C3PO was relieved as the thermal detonator was deactivated. "He agreed !"

Two Gamorreans then dragged Chewie down to the holding cells. On his way down, he caught a glimpse of Lando, still sticking to his role as one of the guards. As Chewie was brought to his holding cell, he hit his head on an overhead pipe, quickly growling his displeasure.

Back at the Main Audience chamber, Boushh looked over to the two Bounty Hunters. Boba Fett simply nodded his head in respect. His attention was soon taken by a couple of female Twi'leks passing by. Boushh walked over to Valyria, shutting off the vocabulator. "So I take it you haven't blown your cover, huh ? So far, everything seems going according to plan."

Mina nodded. "You played your role well. Later tonight, when everyone is sound asleep, we'll break out Han. Meet me here in… 3 hours."

 **Later, in the middle of the night…**

Boushh made his way to where he was supposed to meet Valyria. She stood by Han's carbonite coffin. "I believe you know how to unthaw him, do you ?" Mina whispered.

Boushh quickly flicked a few switches and turned a few knobs. He backed away with Valyria as both watched as Han was slowly getting freed from the carbonite.

He fell to the floor with a thud. Boushh quickly held him in his arms. "Just relax a moment. You're free of the carbonite."

"How do you feel ?" Valyria probed.

Han simply moaned a bit. Boushh reassured him. "Shh. You have hibernation sickness."

Han waved his hands around. "I can't see."

"Your eyesight will return in time."

Han felt lost. "Where am I ?"

"Jabba's Palace." Boushh answered with a sigh.

"And who are you ?" Han couldn't recognize the voices of either.

Leia removed her helmet. "Somebody who loves you !"

Han didn't need any other clues. "Leia !" They quickly kissed each other.

"Usually I'd say "Get a room !", but now we're a bit short on time ! You can enjoy yourselves later !" Mina suggested.

While Han couldn't recognize the voice, the playful snarkiness in it gave him the hint he needed. "Mina ?! Is that you ?"

Mina finally coughed up her vocal emulator. "Who were you expecting ? Captain Syndulla ? Feels great to have my normal voice again !"

"We've got to get you out of here !" Leia held him up by one arm while Mina held the other.

When they least expected it, they heard a particular malicious cackle in the background. Turning around, the curtain opened to reveal Jabba and his cronies.

Jabba first took a look at "Valyria". " _ **I should've known you were no Bounty Hunter ! So… "Valyria", who are you ?**_ "

Mina knew it was pointless to hold back. "My real name is Mina Bonteri. Daughter of Lux Bonteri and Ahsoka Tano. You ought to remember my mother. She delivered your son Rotta during the beginning of the Clone Wars, when Count Dooku and Ziro the Hutt plotted against you !"

Jabba was raging at the mention of his son. " _ **Rotta ? ROTTA ?! You dare speak of him ?! Do you know what happened to him ? He died before the Clone Wars ended ! So your mother's efforts were in vain ! And you thought you could sneak through here and take away my favorite decoration ? I've a mind to feed you to my Rancor, but you deserve an even more painful death for your deception ! I'll have you stew in a cell until I've thought of a good way to end you, daughter of Jedi !**_ "

Han tried to reason with the criminal mastermind. "Hey, Jabba ! Look, Jabba ! I was just on my way to pay you back, but I got a little sidetracked. It's not my fault !"

Jabba had enough of Han's excuses. " _ **It's too late for that, Solo ! You have been a good smuggler, but now you're Bantha fodder ! Take him and the Jedi wench away !**_ "

As the guards grabbed Han and Mina, Han tried to desperately reach out via Jabba with his weakness : the promise of money. "Jabba… I'll pay you triple ! You're throwing away a fortune here ! Don't be a fool !"

Once Han and Mina were dragged out, Jabba focused his attention on Leia. " _ **Guards ! Bring her to me !**_ "

Lando reluctantly brought Leia within distance of Jabba. Leia also tried to distance herself from the stench. "We have powerful friends ! You're going to regret this !"

" _ **I'm sure !**_ " Jabba licked his lips as he savoured the acquisition of Oola's replacement.

Down in the holding cells, Han and Mina were both tossed into one that reeked terribly. It would have been worse, but a growl in the darkness lessened the ordeal a bit. "Chewie ? Chewie, is that you ?"

Chewie stepped out of the shadows, running to hug Han. "Chewie !"

Mina also joined for a hug. "Nice to see you again, furball !"

Chewie growled some question to Han. "Wait. I can't see, pal ! What's going on ?"

Chewie growled some more, causing Han to grin a bit. "Luke ? Luke's crazy ! He can't even take care of himself, much less rescue anybody !"

A few more barks and Han almost snorted a laugh. "A… A Jedi Knight ?! I… I'm out of it for a little while and everyone gets delusions of grandeur !"

Mina placed a hand on his shoulder. "It's no delusion. After we escaped from Cloud City with Lando, I took Luke to meet my Mom. Given she was a Hero during the Clone Wars, it was only natural that she finishes Luke's training. Thus making his rank of Jedi Knight official. Not to worry, Han. We've been planning your rescue for some time. Now that I think of it, it was my job to alert Luke that we're ready for the next step. Oops."

Han gave off a haughty laugh. "Well then, Snips, what are you waiting for ?"

Mina searched her pockets and found her comlink. She set it to Luke's coordinates. "Luke ? This is Mina. Myself and Leia got Han unthawed. We're ready for the next phase of the mission."

Luke's voice rang through the comlink. "Han is free ? Perfect ! What about Leia, Lando and Chewie ?"

"Well… I'm kinda stewing in a cell here with Han and Chewie. Leia is unfortunately in the hands of Jabba the Hutt. But she won't be for long, I predict that Jabba will meet his untimely end soon. As for Lando, he's the only one of us who hasn't been unmasked, so to speak."

Luke hesitated for a moment before continuing. "Ok, you guys stay put. I'll do my best to reason with Jabba. If that fails, well… we'll have to improvise !"

"As long as we don't get in trouble like we did back at the Death Star, right kid ?" Han joked.

Luke's laughter could be heard. "Right ! I'll be there first thing in the morning. Take care of yourselves !"

"Roger that. We'll be waiting. Mina, out."

They spent the night resting a bit and quietly talking, telling Han about their escape from Cloud City in more details.

 **More than half of the Jabba's Palace segment covered ! Plenty of Clone Wars references in this chapter, right ? And I wanted to toss in Hondo Ohnaka for fun. In Rebels, he's not as funny as he was in Clone Wars. I'd like to think that he still holds some respect for Ahsoka, after she helped him escape Grievous' army during the Younglings Arc. And since he did help the Ghost Crew (in a way) in a couple of Rebels episodes, I'd like to think that he also did jobs for Lux and Ahsoka while they ran the Intelligence Network for the Rebellion. At one or several points, he would have made Mina's acquaintance, thus explaining his reaction here. I'm pretty sure I got his personality well. Over the next chapter, Luke joins the crew as he is forced to battle Jabba's Rancor and saves everyone over the Sarlacc Pit. Mina will provide some additional assistance to Luke. And Hondo will be involved in the fight in a very humorous manner. The next chapter will also cover the Emperor's arrival at the Death Star and Yoda's death. Feel free to leave a review.**


	15. The Battle of The Dune Sea

The following morning, while the majority of the people, including Jabba, were still asleep… A hooded man made his entry inside his palace. A pair of Gamorreans attempted to block the newcomer, but he simply waved his hand around them, forcing them back to their original positions.

Bib Fortuna quickly ran over to Luke's side. " _ **You're the one they call Skywalker, aren't you ? Jabba doesn't want you here !**_ "

"I must speak to Jabba." Luke walked forward, surprising Bib.

The Twi'lek cut him off. " _ **The Master is still asleep. You can't wake him !**_ "

Luke waved his hand in front of Bib's face. " _You will take me to Jabba now._ "

He quickly complied. "I will take you to Jabba now."

" _You serve your Master well. And you will be rewarded._ " Luke arrived at Jabba's Main Audience chamber. He could see Leia, now wearing a skimpy slave outfit, showing off her curves a bit too much.

"I serve my Master well. And I'll be rewarded." Bib climbed onto Jabba's platform and walked next to the enormous slug-like alien, waking him. " _ **Master. Here is a new guest : Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knight.**_ "

Jabba grumbled as he woke from his nap. " _ **I told you not to admit him !**_ "

Luke waved his hand again in front of Bib's face. " _I must be allowed to speak._ "

Bib titled towards his Master, doing the Jedi's bidding. " _ **He must be allowed to speak.**_ "

Jabba grabbed his majordomo by one of his lekku. " _ **You weak-minded fool ! He's using an old Jedi Mind Trick !**_ " He shoved him to the side.

Luke finally removed his hood at stared deep into Jabba's eyes. " _You will bring Captain Solo, the Togruta and the Wookie to me._ "

Jabba only laughed in response. " _ **Your mind powers will not work on me, boy !**_ "

Luke paced around the grate, leading to the Rancor Pit. "Nevertheless, I'm taking Captain Solo and his friends. You can either profit by this… or be destroyed ! It's your choice, but I warn you not to underestimate my powers."

C3PO tried to warn Luke about the danger lurking below. "Master Luke, you're standing on…"

Jabba made his choice rather quickly. " _ **There will be no bargain, young Jedi ! I shall enjoy watching you die !**_ "

Luke quickly used the Force to pull a blaster towards him, attempting to shoot down the Hutt. Jabba pressed the switch, opening the grate, sending both Luke and a Gamorrean tumbling into the Rancor's Pit.

Jabba's platform slides near the opening, allowing Jabba to view the spectacle. Leia looked on in dread, with Lando standing by her side. Everyone, including Hondo, went over to see what would happen.

C3PO knew what was coming. "Oh, no ! The Rancor !"

"Now you've gone too far, Hutt !" Hondo argued. "To kill Twi'lek girls is one thing, but a Jedi ?! Unacceptable ! Totally unacceptable ! You are making a big mistake by feeding that thing a Jedi !"

Jabba glared at the Weequay. " _ **You'll keep your mouth shut if you don't want to join them !**_ "

Hondo reluctantly stayed silent as he watched the scene below. Luke was quickly back on his feet. The Gamorrean, immediately burst into panic once the gate began to open. He climbed to the chute's grate, squealing in terror. Luke, on the other hand, attempted to figure out a way to escape. The incessant squeals got the full attention of the Rancor. It used one of its massive hands to grab the helpless Gamorrean, bringing it to its mouth. The squealing suddenly stopped once the powerful jaws of the Rancor crushed its skull.

The other Gamorreans simply laughed at his cruel fate, along with most of the patrons. Once the Gamorrean was completely devoured, the Rancor turned his attention to Luke. Anticipating getting captured, Luke grabbed onto a large bone. As he was caught and slowly brought to its mouth, the patrons all cheered for the Rancor's apparent victory. Just in time, Luke managed to place the bone to lock its jaws. This gave him the chance to slip from its grasp and hid in a dark corner. The Rancor soon crushed the bone and looked around for his next meal. Smelling him in the corner, he tried to pry him out with his claws. Luke quickly reacted by smashing a stone against its claw, causing it to back away and roar in anger.

This was the moment Luke needed. He quickly ran under the Rancor's legs and attempted to escape from the exit of the pit. Jabba's underlings pushed him away from the door as the Rancor closed in on him. Luke's last act was to throw a leftover skull at the mechanism that opened the gate, timing it so the gate would fall on the Rancor's head, killing it. Once the Rancor's head was crushed by the gate, it died rather quickly.

Jabba was infuriated at the loss of his "pet". Hondo, on the other hand, was overjoyed. "Ha ha ! What did I tell you ? Never underestimate a Jedi ! Now all those Twi'lek girls have been avenged !"

" _ **Bring me Solo, the Togruta and the Wookie ! They will all suffer for this outrage !**_ " Jabba then pointed at Hondo. " _ **And you, you loud-mouthed Weequay ! Since you seem to be on the Jedi's side, you will join them in the execution !**_ "

Hondo's jaw simply dropped. "So that's how you treat your guests, huh ? Well… I guess I'll be glad when the Jedi puts you in your place, slimy Hutt !"

The door leading to the pit was quickly opened. Luke was taken out and tossed aside as the one of the keepers rushed inside, looking at the dead Rancor. He broke down and wept for the loss of his "beloved" Rancor.

While Han, Mina and Chewie are brought over to the Throne Room, Luke is dragged near them, with Hondo pushed along with them.

Luke was relieved to see his friend, safe and sound. "Han !"

He recognized his friends' voice. "Luke !"

Luke looked for signs of injury. "Are you all right ?"

Han scoffed. "Fine. Together again, huh ?"

"Wouldn't miss it." Luke had thankfully come up with a Plan B.

Hondo recognized Han immediately. "So the Jedi knows Captain Solo ? Call me… impressed !"

Han groaned at the new voice. "What the ?! How did Ohnaka get caught up in this mess ?"

Luke shrugged his shoulders. "At least, he's on our side, Han."

"So, how are we doing ?" Han asked.

"The same as always." Luke joked.

"That bad, huh ? Where's Leia ?"

Leia made her voice heard. "I'm here !"

Hondo did a double-take. "Woah, woah, woah ! What is this ?! The Princess of Alderaan is your friend too, Master Jedi ? Well… I'm uh… more than impressed now ! You have very good connections !"

Han had enough of Hondo's banter. "Hey, Ohnaka ? Can you do us a favor and _zip it_?!"

"Ha ha ha ! Someone seems to be having a bad day, yes ? Ok, I'll shut up now."

" _ **Tell them their fate, droid !**_ "

C3PO had previously looked at a datapad. It had details about the method of execution. "Oh, dear. His High Exaltedness, the great Jabba the Hutt, has decreed that you are to be terminated immediately."

"Good, I hate long waits." Han joked.

C3PO continued the details. "You will therefore be taken to the Dune Sea and cast in the Pit of Carkoon, the nesting place of the all-powerful Sarlacc."

Han tilted towards Luke. "Doesn't sound so bad."

C3PO, however, knew otherwise. "In his belly, you will find a new definition of pain and suffering, as you are slowly digested over a thousand years."

Han wasn't so willing to die in that fashion. "On second thought, let's pass on that, huh ?"

Chewie barked his agreement.

Mina followed their motion. "I've seen all sorts of crazy things in my life so far, and I don't think I'm done seeing things just yet."

Hondo turned his gaze to Mina. "Oh, Little Mina, even if you're only half capable of what your mother did in the Clone Wars, you and the Jedi will be able to help us. I'm sure of that." He winked at her.

Mina took the compliment. "Thanks. I guess."

"You should have bargained, Jabba." Luke warned.

" _ **Take them away !**_ "

Luke gave one last look at the Crime Lord as he was shoved away by the guards. "That's the last mistake you'll ever make !"

Jabba cackled as everyone gathered to board his personal Sail Barge.

 **Over the Dune Sea, towards the Sarlacc Pit**

Jabba's massive Sail Barge flew above the sands, flanked by a couple of small skiffs. One of them had Luke, Han and Chewie with Lando as one of the guards. The other had Mina and Hondo as captives.

Han's eyesight seemed to be slowly improving. "I think my eyes are getting better. Instead of a big dark blur, I see a big light blur."

Luke snorted a laugh in response. "There's nothing to see. I used to live here, you know."

Han scoffed back at him. "You're gonna die here, you know. Convenient."

Luke took a deep breath, remembering Plan B. "Just stick close to Chewie and Lando. Mina and I will take care of everything."

Han wondered what the two had planned. "Oh ? Great !"

Inside the Sail Barge, Leia couldn't remove her eyes from the skiffs containing her friends. Jabba pulled at her chain, bringing her to him, too close for any comfort. " _ **Soon you will learn to appreciate me.**_ "

C3PO was wandering about when he crashed into an unexpected friend. "Oh, I'm terribly sor- R2 ?! What are you doing here ?" R2 beeped an explanation. "Well, I can see you're serving drinks, but this place is dangerous. They're going to execute Master Luke, and if we're not careful, us too !"

Suddenly, the Sail Barge stopped around the large Sarlacc Pit. Tentacles were swinging in every direction, hoping to snap a hapless lifeform for an easy meal. An enormous gaping mouth was stationed at the center of the pit.

Mina took a look at what awaited her should she fall off the skiff. " _Sithspit ! There's no way in Malachor that thing is going to have a piece of me !_ "

Hondo searched his pockets and managed to find a hidden blaster. He would bide his time. " _When the Jedi begin their move, then I can "help"… and I can give ol' Melch the signal for a pickup. Hopefully, he didn't abandon me._ "

Jabba, Leia, C3PO and the rest of the crowd watched with impatience as they were going to shove the Rebels down into the pit, one by one. C3PO had to deliver a specific speech intended for the Rebels.

"Victims of the almighty Sarlacc : His Excellency hopes that you will die honorably. But should any of you beg for mercy, the great Jabba the Hutt will now listen to your pleas."

Han wasn't going to respond in a cowardly manner. "3PO, you tell that slimy piece of… worm-ridden filth, that he'll get no such pleasure from us !" He turned to the others. "Right ?"

While Chewie growled his agreement, Mina and Hondo simply nodded. Luke, however, looked up towards the Crime Lord while R2 rolled over to the edge of the Sail Barge's deck. "Jabba, this is your last chance. Free us… or die !"

" _ **Ha ha ha ! Move him into position ! Ha ha ha !**_ "

Jabba's guards poked Luke to the edge of the plank, right above the Sarlacc's gaping mouth. Noticing R2, he gave off a salute to the astromech. This was R2's signal to prepare to shoot out the lightsabers he had been holding onto.

Jabba had waited long enough. " _ **Put him in !**_ "

As the guards shoved Luke off the plank, he held on to the edge while R2 shot not one, but three lightsabers ! One for Luke and two for Mina. Luke flipped back onto the skiff and began to send all the guards but Lando down into the pit. Mina, on her end, grabbed her sabers and cut off her bonds as well as Hondo's. In a moment, Mina also began to "clean up".

Hondo stepped aside, letting her do most of the work. "Ah yes ! Now I see where you've taken those fighting skills ! You fight like your mother ! Go, go, go !"

Lando just looked in awe as Mina handled most of the guards on her own. "Now I see where she took that other nickname !"

Han's curiosity had to be sated. "Huh ? What other nickname ?"

"The Whirlwind of Fury ! Look at her go ! Ha ha ha ha !" Lando cheered for her while he stayed close to Han for moment.

"In case you forgot, I can't see yet !" Han shot back.

Mina quickly turned to Hondo in the heat of battle. "How about giving me a hand instead of just standing there ?!"

There was a guard conveniently by Hondo's side. "Oh, my ! What is that out there ?" He pointed towards the sky. The guard just stupidly looked away, giving Hondo the chance to raise his blaster. A quick shot and the guard went tumbling down into the Sarlacc's gaping mouth. "Oh, I'm so sorry ! I didn't mean to knock you off the skiff ! NOT ! Ha ha ha ! Revenge sure is sweet today !" The last guard tried to attack Mina from the back, but Hondo shot him in the head. "Ohhh, I like this gun ! I'm keeping it !"

Inside the Sail Barge, Jabba tried to regain control. " _ **Ahhh ! Jedi ! Kill the Jedi !**_ "

While Luke freed Chewie and Han from their bonds, a gunner from the barge tried to shoot down Lando whom was struggling with one of the guards. Missing his shot, it sent both the guard and Lando tumbling down to the sands. The guard was instantly pulled towards the mouth while Lando struggled to climb out.

Boba Fett entered the fray, rocketing to Luke's skiff. At first, Luke was tied up by a cord, but he quickly freed himself, sending Fett face-planting on the skiff.

Below, Lando knew he needed to be pulled out fast, lest he become dinner like the rest of them. "Help ! Chewie !"

Han, while still being blind, recognized the voice. "Lando !"

Fett was right next to Han, about to aim at Luke. Chewie warned his friend of the Bounty Hunter. "Boba Fett ?! Boba Fett ?! Where ?!" Han grabbed a spear and managed to hit Fett's jetpack by pure chance, sending him flying right into the side of the Sail Barge, then he fell tumbling into the sands, swallowed up by the Sarlacc.

Luke made a leap towards the Sail Barge, climbing onto the sides. One of Jabba's cronies tried to knock him down, only to be pulled out and down towards the Sarlacc.

Inside the Sail Barge, Leia had finally had her fill of the slimy gangster. She knocked out the power, causing to the place to go dark, sending everyone into panic. Using her chains, she managed to choke Jabba to death. Once that was done, R2 cut her chains. "We've got to get out of here !"

Back on the skiff, Han fell by the edge, extending his spear blindly to Lando. "Lando, grab it !"

Lando extended his hand as far as possible. "Lower it !"

Han had to be sure not to slip off the edge. "I'm trying !"

The gunner managed to hit the skiff, causing it to swivel to the side. Now Han was dangling by his feet. "Woah ! Woah ! Grab me, Chewie !"

As the Wookie lowered himself to grab his friend's feet, Mina was about to leap towards their skiff. She turned to Hondo. "Nice shooting, "Uncle" Hondo ! Stay put, huh ?"

Hondo held on to his blaster, keeping an eye for any enemy aiming at him. "Don't mind if I do, child ! Now, don't get your pretty little self killed, huh ?"

She snorted a laugh. "Me, getting killed ? Psh ! Not likely !" She leapt to Han's skiff, blocking a shot meant for Chewie. "You see, furball ? I always show up when you really need me !"

On the deck of the Sail Barge, Luke blocked blaster bolts after blaster bolts, sending Jabba's cronies running for their lives.

Thanks to Chewie being able to lower Han a bit more, his spear reached further down towards Lando. "Grab it ! Almost… You almost got it !"

As Lando was reaching for the spear, one of the Sarlacc's tentacles grabbed his leg. "Yaaagh ! Help !"

Han extended his free hand upwards. "Chewie ! Give me the gun !" Grabbing onto his blaster, Han aimed to fire at the tentacle. "Don't move, Lando !"

Alarm bells rang into Lando's head. "No, wait ! I thought you were blind !"

Han felt sure of himself. "It's all right. Trust me."

Lando dreaded for the shot to hit him instead. "A little higher ! Just a little higher !"

Han expertly shot the tentacle, freeing Lando from its grasp. "Chewie ! Pull us up !"

Hondo flew the skiff close to the other, abandoning it to join the rest. In the end, Chewie, Mina and Hondo worked together to pull Han and Lando out of the danger zone.

"Well, I helped save your skin, Captain Solo. Does that mean I'll get a reward ?" Hondo rubbed his hands in glee.

"You'll have to ask the Alliance about that ! Where's Luke ? What about Leia ?" Han began to regain normal vision.

Mina looked over to the deck of Jabba's Sail Barge. "Well, there's your answer, guys ! Luke didn't even need my help on the deck ! Oh well. And there's Leia, who I'm sure will appreciate a change of clothes once we get out of here."

As R2 was about to exit, C3PO was assaulted by Salacious, the Kowakian Monkey-Lizard. The creature was amusing itself at tearing C3PO's eye with its beak. "Not my eyes ! R2, help ! Quickly, R2 !" A shock from the astromech sent the creature up on the rafters, mumbling off. C3PO was relieved of the torture. "Beast !"

With Leia on the deck, Luke motioned her to the large cannon on the center of the deck. "Get the gun ! Point it at the deck ! Point it at the deck !"

She had it turn around, aimed at the engine of the vessel. One of Jabba's henchman managed to land a blow on Luke's cybernetic hand, causing him to retaliate quickly with his lightsaber.

C3PO and R2 were almost at the edge of the deck. "R2, where are we going ? I couldn't possibly jump… Ahhh !" Both tumbled into the sands, outside of the Sarlacc pit.

Han, Chewie, Mina, Lando and Hondo looked on as Luke grabbed Leia, ready to swing over to the remaining skiff. "Come on !" Luke kicked at the cannon's release, sending a powerful blast down into the engine room, causing a powerful explosion, killing any and all of Jabba's remaining cronies onboard. The two safely swung over to the skiff.

Luke quickly made a head count. "Let's go ! And don't forget the droids !

Lando active some special magnet to pull the droids from the sands. "We're on our way !"

As they flew away from the explosion, they all hugged each other. Luke was glad his Plan B worked in the end. "Nice work, each and every one of you !"

Hondo pointed to himself. "Even me, Master Jedi ?"

Luke nodded. "Even you, Hondo Ohnaka. Thanks for standing up for us !"

Hondo scratched the back of his neck. "Oh well… He was a common enemy, yes ? It reminds me of that time when Mina's mother and I worked together to escape General Grievous and his droid army. Or the time that Kenobi helped me and my men to get rid of those tattooed crazies !"

Luke raised an eyebrow. "You knew Ben and Ahsoka ?"

"Yes, yes ! You know, I was "friends" with them… At least I think I was." Hondo activated his comlink and uttered a series of grunts. He got a reply with similar-sounding grunts.

Lando recognized the grunts all-too well. "Ahhh, you have Ugnauths in your service ? They're a hard-working people !"

"Yes, yes ! They help me on my… "treasure hunts"." Hondo explained.

Mina read between the lines. "He means salvaging of abandoned ships. He was a pirate during the Clone Wars. Lead a pretty fearsome band. Nowadays, with the Empire running things, he's become more discreet."

Hondo patted Mina's back. "Oh ho ho ho, you know me all-too well, don't you… Little Mina ?"

Mina rolled her eyes in response. "I'm not so little anymore, you know ? I believe we've wasted enough time. Let's make for space !"

 **Outer Space, orbiting Tatooine**

Four ships headed in four different directions. The Millennium Falcon headed towards the Rebel Fleet's last known location. In her X-Wing, Mina entered the coordinates for Lah'mu. Aboard the stolen Imperial shuttle, dubbed Last Chance, Hondo and Melch had just gotten a message from Azmorigan, one of Hondo's associates, for a great "treasure hunt" in the Outer Rim system of Kamino. Luke, on his end, had his destination decided long ago.

Luke and Leia were chatting via comlink. "Hurry, the Alliance should be assembled by now." She said.

"I will." Luke responded. "What about you, Mina ? And Hondo ?"

Mina answered first. "I'm heading back to Lah'mu. I want my old looks back. And maybe I can borrow my folks' Imperial shuttle for our cause."

Hondo remained grateful for Luke getting him out of the bind and trusting him. "I would like to help the Rebellion, Master Jedi. But I can't ignore a new trail by my partner, Azmorigan. Apparently, we can salvage a lot from the deserted system of Kamino. Who knows, maybe our paths will cross again, yes ?"

Han had to extend his gratitude to all. "Hey, Luke. Thanks for coming after me. Now, I owe you one. Snips, thanks for giving Luke a hand. Ohnaka, you're an all right guy after all ! Thanks for sticking your neck out for us !"

As Han, Mina and Hondo went their respective ways, Luke was alone with R2. The astromech beeped inquisitively. "That's right, R2. We're going to the Dagobah System. I have a promise to keep… to an old friend."

Luke's X-Wing sped off through space.

 **Hangar of the Second Death Star**

Hundreds of Imperial Troops stood in lines as a particular Imperial shuttle landed. Darth Vader and Commander Jerjerrod both knelt and waited while the boarding ramp lowered. After several of the Emperor's Royal Guards positioned themselves around the boarding ramp, Emperor Palpatine himself walked down to meet Vader and Jerjerrod.

Only the former was addressed in the end. "Rise, my friend."

Vader stood up and walked by Palpatine's side. "The Death Star will be completed on schedule."

Palpatine was surely pleased. "You have done well, Lord Vader. And now I sense you wish to continue your search for young Skywalker and Bonteri."

Vader simply nodded. "Yes, my Master."

Palpatine grinned evilly. "Patience, my friend. In time, they will seek you out. And when they do, you must bring them before me. They have grown strong. Only together can we turn them to the Dark Side of the Force."

"As you wish." Vader showed no emotion whatsoever.

"Everything is proceeding as I have foreseen." Palpatine let an evil cackle echo through the hangar.

 **Yoda's Home, Dagobah**

Inside the old Jedi Master's home, Luke sat on the ground, ready to take in whatever lesson Yoda had left for him. The ancient alien seemed to be worsening. "Hmm. That face you make ? Look I so old to young eyes ?"

Luke, not wanting to insult him, shook his head. "No… of course not."

Yoda, began to cough and wheeze. "I do… *cough* *cough* Yes, I do. Sick, I have become. Old and weak." He pointed to himself. "When 900 years old you reach, look as good as you will not ? Hmm ? *cough* *cough*" He hobbled to his bed, for the last time.

He slowly slipped onto his mattress, getting Luke to help him cover himself with the bedsheets. "Soon, will I rest ? Yes ! Forever sleep. Earned it, I have."

Luke couldn't believe that the wise Master was dying. "Master Yoda, you can't die ?"

Yoda struggled to breathed evenly. "Strong I am, with the Force. But not that strong. Twilight is upon me and soon night must fall. That is the way of things… The way of the Force."

Luke knelt down to him. "But I need your help. I've come back to complete my training."

Yoda turned his head to the boy. "No more training do you require. The way of the Force, I have taught you. Skills with a lightsaber, young Ahsoka taught you. Already know you that which you need."

"So I am a Jedi ?" Luke wondered.

"No." Yoda coughed some more. "Not yet. One thing remains : Vader. You must confront Vader. Then, only then, a Jedi will you be. And confront him you will."

Luke had to know Yoda's truth on a difficult subject. "Master Yoda… is Darth Vader my father ?"

For now, Yoda avoided answering. "Rest, I need. Yes. Rest."

Luke sighed. "Yoda, I must know."

"Your father, he is." Yoda answered. "Told you, didn't he ?"

Luke nodded weakly. "Yes."

Yoda began to struggle to breathe. "Unexpected, this is. And unfortunate…"

Luke was a little angry at that response. "Unfortunate that I know the truth ?"

Yoda turned to him. "No. Unfortunate that you rushed to face him… that incomplete was your training. Not ready for the burden, were you."

Luke shook his head, a tear flowing from his eye. "I'm sorry."

"Remember, a Jedi's strength flows from the Force. But beware fear, anger, aggression. The Dark Side are they. Once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny." Yoda began to have more trouble merely talking. "Luke… Luke… Do not… Do not underestimate the powers of the Emperor… or suffer your father's fate, you will. Luke… when gone am I, the last of the Jedi will you be. Young Ahsoka and her daughter, Jedi they are not. Not evil are they, but no longer cling to the Jedi ways either. Mastered both sides of the Force, they have. Gained true balance. Something to learn from them, you have. Luke… the Force runs strong in your Family. Pass on what you have learned. Luke… There is… another… Sky… walker…"

Luke just watched as Yoda passed as disappeared in thin air.

After Yoda had died, Luke returned to his X-Wing. R2 was working on some repairs. Luke knelt before the droid. "I can't do it, R2."

R2 beeped in understanding. "But I can't go on alone."

Suddenly, Luke heard a familiar voice in the air. "Yoda will always be with you."

"Obi-Wan." Luke stood up, noticing the Force Ghost walking up to him. "Why didn't you tell me ? You told me Vader betrayed and murdered my father."

Obi-Wan looked on with a sad expression. "Your father was seduced by the Dark Side of the Force. He ceased to be Anakin Skywalker and became Darth Vader. When that happened, the good man that was your father was destroyed. So what I told you was true… from a certain point of view."

Luke raised an eyebrow. "A certain point of view ?"

Obi-Wan motioned to a nearby log, sitting down. "Luke, you're going to find out that many of the truths we cling on to depend greatly from our point of view." Obi-Wan took a deep breath. "Anakin was a good friend. When myself and my Master, Qui-Gon Jinn, first discovered him, we were amazed at how strongly the Force was with him. After Qui-Gon was murdered by a mysterious Sith Lord, I thought I could train Anakin as well as Qui-Gon or Yoda could… I was wrong."

Luke felt there was some light left in Vader. "There is still good in him."

Obi-Wan couldn't see it. "He is more machine now, than man. Twisted and evil."

Luke shook his head. "I can't do it, Ben."

"You cannot escape your destiny. You must face Darth Vader again."

Luke couldn't bring himself to do the unthinkable. "I can't kill my own father !"

Obi-Wan looked on in disappointment. "Then the Emperor has already won. You were our only hope."

"Yoda spoke of another…"

Obi-Wan chuckled softly. "The other is your twin sister."

This was news for Luke. "But I have no sister !"

Obi-Wan had some explaining to do. "To protect you both from the Emperor, you were hidden from your father when you were born. The Emperor knew, as I did, if Anakin were to have any offspring, they would be a threat to him. That is why your sister remains safely anonymous."

Bells rang into Luke's head. "Leia ! Leia is my sister !"

Obi-Wan was glad Luke was catching on. "Your insights serve you well. Bury your feelings deep down, Luke. They do you credit, but they could be made to serve the Emperor."

Luke wondered how his "sister" would react to these news. He would find out soon enough.

 **The Tatooine segment is done ! Over the next chapter, we'll cover the Rebellion's journey to the Moon of Endor. Rex will make an appearance. Feel free to leave a review.**


	16. The Final Attack on the Empire Begins

**Rebel Fleet, near Sullust**

The Rebel Fleet convened in the Sullust system, comprised of Mon Calamari cruisers, Medical Frigates, Alderaanian Blockade Runners and a slew of A-Wings and X-Wings. In the main briefing room of Admiral Ackbar's personal cruiser, the Rebels were going to be briefed on their next major attack on the Empire. Rebels of all races convened : Mon Calamari, Bothans, Twi'leks, Togrutas, Sullustans and Humans.

Lando, decked in new clothing, signaling his high rank in the Fleet, walked to where Han, Leia, Mina, Chewie and the two droids were stationed. Han seemed to be surprised at his sudden change of style. "Well, look at you ! A General, huh ?"

Lando laughed in reply. "Oh, well, someone must have told them about my little maneuver at the Battle of Taanab."

"Well, don't look at me, pal. I just said you were a fair pilot. I didn't know they were looking for someone to lead this crazy attack." Han thanked the stars he wasn't going to be involved in the space battle.

Lando raised an eyebrow. "I'm surprised they didn't ask you to do it. Besides, I'm not leading alone. The lovely Hera Syndulla is also taking charge of the attack." He motioned to Hera, standing to the other side of the room with Chopper, waiting for the briefing to begin.

Han scoffed. "Who says they didn't ? But I ain't crazy. You're the respectable one, remember ?"

Before their banter could continue, a tone rang out in the room, getting everyone to pay attention as Senator Mothma began the briefing. "The Emperor has made a critical error and the time for our attack has come." She pressed a button, showing a hologram of the incomplete Second Death Star. "The data brought to us by the Bothan spies pinpoints the exact location of the Emperor's new battle station. We also know that the weapon systems of this Death Star are not yet operational. With the Imperial Fleet spread throughout the Galaxy in a vain effort to engage us, it is relatively unprotected. But most important of all, we've also learned that the Emperor himself is personally overseeing the final stages of the construction of this Death Star." Senator Mothma gave a sad look at the few Bothans gathered in the room. "Many Bothans died… to bring us this information." She motioned for the Mon Calamari to begin his part of the briefing. "Admiral Ackbar, please."

Ackbar enlarged the hologram so more details could be seen. "You can see here the Death Star orbiting the forest Moon of Endor. Although the weapon systems on this Death Star are not yet operational, the Death Star does have a strong defense mechanism. It is protected by an energy shield, which is generated from the nearby forest Moon of Endor. The shield must be deactivated if any attack is to be attempted. Once the shield is down, our cruisers will create a perimeter, while the fighters fly into the superstructure and attempt to knock out the main reactor."

The Mon Calamari pointed at a Human and a Twi'lek. "General Calrissian and General Syndulla have volunteered to lead the fighter attack." Everyone turned their gaze at the two leaders.

Han nodded his respect to both. "Good luck, you two. You're gonna need it !"

Ackbar motioned to a Rebel General by the name of Madine to explain the last part of the briefing. "General Madine."

Madine paced around the hologram, motioning at Mina. "Thanks to the generosity of Commander Bonteri's Family, we have been provided an Imperial shuttle. Disguised as a cargo ship and using a secret Imperial code, a strike team will land on the moon and deactivate the shield generator."

"Sounds dangerous." C3PO blurted out.

Leia leaned over to Han. "I wonder who they found to pull that off ?"

Madine cleared his throat. "General Solo, is your strike team assembled ?"

Leia looked in admiration as Han answered. "Uh, my team is ready. Aside Commander Bonteri here, I don't have a command crew for the shuttle."

Chewie lifted a paw, growling slightly. Han turned to him. "Well, it's gonna be rough, pal. I didn't want to speak for you."

Chewie growled louder, really wanting to help. Han smiled. "That's one more !"

Leia wouldn't stay around doing nothing. " _General_ , count me in !"

"I'm with you too !" Luke's voice rang out as he walked to join his friends.

Leia ran over to Luke and hugged him. Looking at him, she could tell there was something different about him. "What is it ?"

Luke chose to keep the shocking secret for later. "Ask me again, some other time." He turned his attention to the others. "Hey Han, Chewie. Mina, glad to see you're back as your old self again !"

Mina shot him her typical smirk. "Yep ! Glad to be "Mina Bonteri" again. I was getting sick of looking like a criminal."

R2 beeped some remarks. C3PO didn't agree with him. "Exciting is hardly the word I would use !"

 **Hangar**

While Han and his crew walked over to the Tydirium, the Millennium Falcon and the Ghost were stationed nearby. Lando and Hera accompanied their friends and wished them the best.

Han seemed pretty insistent on giving Lando the best chances possible. "Look, I want you to take her !" He pointed to the Falcon. "I mean it ! Take her ! You need all the help you can get. She's the fastest ship in the Fleet… with the Ghost as a close second." Han winked at Hera.

Hera was pleased by the unexpected praise for her ship. "Thanks for the kind words, General Solo. I'll give my all to make sure that most of the fighter team come back alive."

Lando couldn't resist to joke with his long-time friend. "All right, old buddy. You know, I know what she means to you. I'll take good care of her. She… she won't get a scratch ! All right ?"

Han walked towards the boarding ramp of the Tydirium, then turned back to face Lando. "Right ! I got your promise. Not a scratch ?"

Mina rolled her eyes and snorted a laugh. "Good kriffing luck is all I'll say !"

Lando waved him off amicably. "Look, would you get going, you pirate ?"

Han saluted him and Hera. "Good luck, both of you !"

Lando nodded and saluted Han back. "You too !"

As Han and the others entered the Tydirium's cockpit, a particular soldier stood out from the rest. He had a full beard and looked older than the rest. While Luke fiddled with some controls, the soldier addressed him. "And who might you be, son ?"

Before Luke could answer, Mina introduced him. "This is Luke Skywalker, the official Jedi Knight of the Rebel Alliance."

The soldier looked surprised. "Skywalker, huh ? Any relation to General Skywalker from the Clone Wars ?"

Luke immediately knew he was referring to his father. "You knew Anakin Skywalker ? He was my father."

"Woah, woah, woah ! Hold on ! You mean to tell me that he had a son ? I thought the Jedi weren't allowed to marry or have children." He offered his hand. "I fought by the General's side through the Clone Wars from the Battle of Christophsis to the Battle of Ringo Vinda. I'm a clone, one of millions that was created on Kamino to fight for the Republic against the Separatists. They call me Rex. Clone Captain Rex. My birth number is CT-7567. I'm probably one of the last few still alive." Rex explained.

Luke shook his hand. "Nice to meet you, Rex. Seeing that you have experience from the Clone Wars, I'm sure your knowledge will be quite handy for us."

Rex smiled. "If you're even only half as capable as General Skywalker was, you'll do some incredible things ! The Alliance is lucky to have you in their lot !"

Rex turned his attention to Mina. "And you, Miss. You remind me of one of my closest friends on the battlefield aside General Skywalker."

Mina took a wild guess. "Ahsoka Tano ?"

Rex did a double-take. "How… how did you… ?!"

Mina took a seat next to Rex. "My mother told me a lot about you, Captain Rex. I never thought I'd meet you in person."

Rex could see that Mina inherited a lot of Ahsoka's qualities. "Incredible ! Never would I have thought that Commander Tano had a child. Since I've heard you being called Commander Bonteri back at the briefing… I guess it's a safe bet to assume that Lux Bonteri is your father ?"

Mina nodded. "Yep. The same Lux Bonteri that worked with Saw Gerrera to free Onderon from the Separatists during the Clone Wars. Small world, huh ?"

Then, Rex's mood turned to sadness. "The last I saw of her… was when I contacted her with two Jedi when they were on the way to Malachor. I… haven't heard from her since… Is she… ?" Rex dreaded the answer.

Mina wrapped Rex in a hug. "Don't worry. She's ok. Vader couldn't finish her off. She's a survivor. She and Dad are at the other side of the Galaxy, in a system which is least likely to be visited by the Empire."

Rex breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm so glad to hear that, little 'un. Your mother… I can't count the times she saved my life and other clones' during the war. She truly cared about us. I'd like to see her again."

"Oh, you will. When the Empire is brought down, we're gonna throw the biggest party the Galaxy has ever seen ! And Mom won't be able to resist joining in the celebration. Tell you what, you'll likely see her sooner than you'd expect." Mina winked at Rex.

Han had listened to their conversation and soon joined Luke and Mina. "So you're a veteran of the Clone Wars, huh ? We can definitely use your knowledge in combat, old timer. Why do I get the feeling that it's going to be an easy mission ?"

Rex scoffed. "General Solo, with all due respect, I'm flattered. Really ! But I think we shouldn't let our guard down. The Empire's Stormtroopers may not be as efficient as the clankers that I've fought in the Clone Wars, we can still end up surprised and overwhelmed by the enemy. The Empire will likely have a small presence on that moon. If we're spotted, we'll soon have a garrison down our throats."

Han smirked in response. "Then we'll move quiet-like. Me & Chewie have infiltrated some heavily guarded bases before. Should be a cinch."

Rex looked up to the former smuggler. "Don't get too comfortable. Entering enemy territory is always risky. I should know, it's what I've done during nearly all my missions."

"We'll take your advice, Captain. Thanks for joining up." Once in the pilot seat, Han looked over his shoulder, peering at Luke. "You got her warmed up, kid ?"

Luke finished setting some controls. "Yeah, she's comin' up."

Chewie, by Han's side, struggled to figure out the new ship controls. "No, I don't think the Empire had Wookies in mind when they designed her, Chewie."

Han was looking at the Falcon in a daze. Leia placed a hand on his shoulder. "Hey… you awake ?"

"Yeah, I just got a funny feeling. Like I'm not gonna see her again."

Leia brought him back to reality. "General, let's move."

Han prepared for takeoff. "Right. Chewie, let's see what Bonteri's ship can do." He turned to the rest. "Ready everybody ?"

Luke strapped himself for the flight. "All set."

While R2 was excited for a new adventure. C3PO dreaded what would soon entail. "Here we go again."

Moments after the Tydirium took off, they entered hyperspace towards the forest Moon of Endor.

 **Next chapter, we'll cover the speeder chase and Leia's meeting with Wicket. Feel free to leave a review.**


	17. Leia's Fateful Meeting with Ewoks

**Emperor's Throne Room, Death Star**

Palpatine was caught up at looking at the stars in the comfort of his chair. Members of the Imperial Council stood in line, waiting to give out their personal advice. Darth Vader soon joined them. At first, the Emperor had his back turned to all. Pressing a button, his chair slowly rotated to face everyone, especially Vader.

The Sith Lord bowed before the Emperor. "What is thy bidding, my Master ?"

"Send the Fleet to the far side of Endor. There it will stay… until called for."

Hidden behind the mask, Vader raised one of his charred eyebrows. "What of the reports of the Rebel Fleet massing near Sullust ?"

The Emperor rose from his seat, holding on to his cane for support. "It is of no concern. Soon the Rebellion will be crushed and young Skywalker and Bonteri will join us ! Your work here is finished, my friend. Go out to the command ship and await my orders."

Vader bowed again before leaving. "Yes, my Master."

As Vader exited the Throne Room, the Emperor spoke to his Council members. "I can sense doubt forming into his mind. I will soon need a new Apprentice to replace him. For shame, he has served his purpose well over the years… even if he became crippled at Mustafar. I've been working with men since I became Darth Plagueis's Apprentice. The Daughter of Skywalker's forsaken Padawan… Yes… I sense great potential in her. Even more than the Son of Skywalker. Through her mother's teaching, she has already begun to embrace the Dark Side. A Sith Lady would be a nice change of pace."

"Then may that woman serve you well, your Excellency." One of the Council members replied, carefully choosing his words to avoid ire from the Emperor.

 **In Space, towards the Forest Moon of Endor**

The Tydirium flew steadily towards its destination. Over the cockpit, the Second Death Star and a slew of Imperial Star Destroyers could be seen. Even more nerve-racking was the presence of the Executor, Darth Vader's Super Star Destroyer. Tie-Fighters flew around in all directions, ready to blast any opposition coming their way.

Han looked over the code they were provided and turned over to Chewie, who was the co-pilot. "If they don't go for this, we're gonna have to get outta here pretty quick, Chewie."

Chewie growled his agreements while the comlink buzzed alive. "We have you on our screen now. Please identify."

Han took a deep breath. "Shuttle Tydirium, requesting deactivation of the deflector shield."

Over at the bridge of the Executor, the controller went over his set of regulations, with Admiral Piett and Darth Vader not too far from him. "Shuttle Tydirium, transmit the clearance code for shield passage."

"Transmission commencing." Han muted the mic for a bit and entered the code he was provided.

Leia felt a lot of anxiety. "Now we'll find out if that code was worth the price we paid."

Han tried to instill some confidence. "It'll work. It'll work."

Luke stared at the Executor, he huddled himself. "Vader's on that ship."

Han turned back to the boy. "Now, don't get jittery, Luke. There are a lot of command ships." He turned his attention to his co-pilot, whom was howling softly. "Keep your distance though, Chewie. But don't look like you're trying to keep your distance. I don't know… fly casual !"

Mina held on Luke's shoulders. "No, he's right. I feel his presence too. The Darkness. The Cold."

Luke began to regret joining the crew. "Me and Mina are endangering the mission. We shouldn't have come."

Han groaned, turning to the two. "Loosen up, you two. Come on. Let's keep a little optimism here."

At the bridge of the Executor, Vader and Piett finally walked over to the controller. "Where is that shuttle going ?" The former asked.

Piett took over from the controller. "Shuttle Tydirium, what is your cargo and destination ?"

"Parts and technical crew for the forest moon." Han answered, his voice garbled through the comlink.

Piett waited for an order by Vader. Instead, the Sith Lord asked another question. "Do they have a code clearance ?"

Piett looked over to the transmitted data. "It's an older code, sir. But it checks out. I was about to clear them."

Vader looked out to the viewport, sensing the Force signatures of Luke and Mina.

Piett's finger was inches from the alarm button. "Shall I hold them ?"

Vader focused back his attention on the controller. "No. Leave them to me. I will deal with them myself."

Piett was surprised at Vader's decision, but didn't question him. "As you wish, my Lord." He turned his gaze at the controller. "Carry on."

In the cockpit of the Tydirium, everyone waited with fear and dread. Han himself was the first to think they got caught. "They're not going for it, Chewie."

Before any move could be made, the controller's voice rang out through the comlink. "Shuttle Tydirium, deactivation of the shield will commence immediately. Follow your present course."

Han shut off the mic and breathed a sigh of relief. "Okay ! I told you all it was gonna work ! No problem !"

Mina felt something else at work. " _That was too easy ! It feels like a trap waiting to be sprung !_ "

As the Tydirium zoomed toward the Forest Moon, Vader went off to report to his Emperor.

 **Forest Floor, Forest Moon of Endor**

After a smooth landing in a densely wooded area, Han lead the crew through the trees and thick foliage. Rex quickly raced over to the General. "If I may offer a suggestion, General Solo : We should split up. Half of the strike team will look for Imperial occupation, the other can recon and reach the shield generator."

Han took the old Clone's advice. "Yeah, not a bad idea… Woah, wait a minute. Stay here." Han crawled over to small ledge with Chewie, in the distance, they could see a pair of Scout Troopers searching for something, with their speeders parked nearby.

Mina, Luke and Leia joined them. "Shall we try and go around ?" The Princess asked.

Han backed down slightly, the others following his move. "It'll take time. This whole party will be for nothing if they see us."

"There's no telling how many others are in the area. Perhaps we could postpone the recon until dark. Besides, I still have my old clone helmet from the Clone Wars. It's equipped with Night Vision." Rex pulled his helmet out of his backpack, demonstrating it to the rest of the crew.

Han looked back at Rex, a smile on his face. "You're just full of surprises, aren't you, Old Timer ?" Han motioned Chewie to follow him. "Chewie and I will take care of this. The rest of you stay here."

Luke had a bad feeling about this. "Quietly ! There might be more of them out there."

Han shot a grin at Luke. "Hey… it's me !"

Luke sighed frustratingly as the two smugglers tried to sneak around the Troopers. Mina crawled over to him. "He's way too sure of himself ! I'm betting you a credit chip that he'll get in trouble !" Mina whispered.

"With his recent luck, that's probably what _will_ happen, Mina." Leia chimed in, with worry in her voice.

Just as Han was about to knock one of the Troopers, he stepped on a twig, getting the Scout's attention. He quickly knocked Han against the base of one of the Moon's many gigantic trees. The Scout turned to his friend. "Go for help ! Go !"

Mina smirked at Luke. "Looks like you owe me a credit chip, bud !"

Luke rolled his eyes at her. "Great ! Leia, come on, let's give Han a hand !"

While the second Scout began to depart in his speeder, Chewie managed to hit the engine with his bowcaster, causing the Scout to crash into a tree, exploding on contact.

As Han and the first Scout were engaged in a fist fight, Leia noticed a couple more Scouts hiding in the sense foliage. "Over there ! Two more of them !"

While they raced away, Leia made a beeline for the first Scout's unmanned speeder. Starting it up, Luke ran to her and leapt behind her seat to join her. "I see them ! Wait, Leia !"

Han just watched as the duo sped off to chase the two Scouts. "Hey, wait !" The Scout he was fighting with was finally flipped to the ground. But he was still struggling.

Rex ran to the scene, setting his blaster to Stun. "General Solo, back away for a moment ! I've got this !" One blast and the Scout stopped struggling, knocked out. "Damn these Imperials ! They're making life impossible for everyone ! We have to destroy that shield generator, at whatever cost !"

While Han and the rest of the strike team met to plan their next move, Luke and Leia had their hands full chasing the two Scouts around the enormous trees. Not only did they have to worry about crashing to their deaths, they also had to ensure they couldn't get any backup. Luke pointed at the controls at the front. "Quick ! Jam their comlinks ! Center switch !"

"Move closer ! Get alongside that one !" As Leia flew next to one of the Scouts, he leapt onto the speeder, picking up the Scout and tossing him onto a nearby tree.

Catching up to her, Luke and Leia were about to corner the remaining Scout. Hidden behind some foliage, two more Scouts began to pursue them. Firing a few shots, the duo quickly changed their tactic. "You keep on that one ! I'll take these two !" Luke quickly hit the brakes, causing him to zoom behind the pursuers. Getting a good aim with the speeder's laser gun, one of the Scouts met its untimely end as it spun out of control into a nearby tree, exploding on impact.

Now that both sides were even-numbered, it was a matter of taking out the Scouts as quickly as possible. Leia, on her end, flew up into the forest, careful not crash into a tree. The Scout had believed that he had lost her, until she came back down, firing at him. Her aim wasn't as good as Luke's. In a matter of seconds, they were side by side. Leia tried to ram the Scout's speeder to the side, but she had to avoid his blaster when he tried to take pot shots at her. He hit the side of her speeder, causing Leia to fall down to the forest floor. The Scout made the mistake of looking back to see her speeder exploding. Once to face back in front of him, he collided with a tree stump, killing him on impact. Leia, seeing the last Scout taken out, finally collapsed onto the forest floor.

Luke, on his end, had to contend with the last Scout. He had to swerve around the fallen trees and stumps, avoiding many collisions by inches. Eventually, he was forced to abandon his speeder and leap onto the forest floor to avoid killing himself. The Scout turned around and attempted to shoot Luke from a distance. Having ignited his lightsaber, Luke blocked all the shots and cut off the front of the speeder, causing the Scout to spin out of control into a tree, to his death. Having defeated the last Scout, Luke extinguished his lightsaber and breathed a sigh of relief. After regaining his breath, he hiked back towards where the crew had encountered the first group of Scouts.

Back at the meeting site, Han, Chewie, Rex, Mina, the droids and the rest of the strike team waited anxiously for either Luke or Leia to return. R2 had his radar active and beeped a warning. C3PO looked in all directions. "General Solo, somebody is coming ! Oh !"

Mina's montrals and connection to the Force confirmed her suspicions. "It's Luke, everyone ! Relax !"

Han was happy to see him. "Luke ! Where's Leia ?"

Luke did a double-take. "What ?! She didn't come back ?"

Han blinked at him. "I thought she was with you !"

Luke struggled to explain. "We got separated during the chase ! She was way ahead of me last I saw her !"

Mina gripped Luke's shoulder a bit forcefully. "Well… We're going to go look for her, aren't we ?"

Han turned to the Clone. "Captain Rex, take the squad ahead. We'll meet at the shield generator at 0300."

"Yes sir ! We'll be waiting !" Rex went off with the strike team.

Han lead the search for the Princess, with Luke, Chewie and Mina in tow. R2 and C3PO followed the group. "Don't worry, Master Luke ! We know what to do !" As they went deeper into the forest, C3PO had to whine some more. "And you said it was pretty here ? Ugh !"

 **Further into the Forest, where Leia was last seen…**

A pair of furry legs slowly walk to the unconscious form of Princess Leia. The creature was in fact an Ewok, a sentient species bearing an ancient dialect native to the moon. This one was a young male named Wicket. He gently poked at Leia with his spear, backing away in case she might attack. He poked her a few more times and she finally awoke in fright and annoyance.

"Cut it out !" She stood up as Wicket held his spear and growled at her.

She held out her hands to him. "I'm not gonna hurt you." She looked around and it dawned on her that she was effectively lost. She sat onto a fallen log. "Well, it looks like I'm stuck here. Problem is, I don't know where _here_ is. Maybe you can help me ?"

She patted on the log next to her. "Come on, sit down."

Wicket reacted by growling further and pointing his spear at her.

She patted the log again. "I promise I won't hurt you. Now come here."

Seeing that the furry creature still didn't trust her, she'd have to earn his trust. She reached into her pockets and found a biscuit. "All right. Want something to eat ?"

Wicket slowly approached Leia, quickly grabbing the biscuit. "That's right. Come on. Hmm ?"

After sniffing the biscuit, Wicket finally sat down next to her. He was almost done eating when Leia chose to remove her helmet, causing the Ewok to jump away in fright, growling and pointing the spear at it. Leia couldn't help but chuckle inwardly. "Look, it's a hat. It's not gonna hurt you, look ? You're a jittery little thing, aren't you ?"

She offered the helmet to him. He quickly sniffed it for a moment then dropped it, perking his ears up and sniffing around. "What is it ?"

Suddenly, a laser bolt hit the log next to her. Wicket quickly rolled under the log and hid there. Leia reached for her blaster and tried to see where the shot came from. Another shot passed by her and she couldn't quite pinpoint the location. She sensed something moving behind her. She looked over her shoulder and saw a Scout aiming his blaster at her. "Freeze ! Come on, get up !"

Wicket looked from under the log, biding his time to act. Another Scout appeared from the dense foliage. The first one motioned to him. "Go get your ride and take her back to base."

The second Scout saluted. "Yes, sir !"

As the second Scout went to fetch his speeder, Wicket wacked the first Scout on his leg with his spear. The Scout looked down to the small furry creature. "What the ?!"

While distracted by Wicket, Leia picked a large branch and knocked the first Scout down. Grabbing his blaster, she blasted the speeder as the second Scout was departing, causing him to tumble down a ravine. Sensing they were safe, Wicket cheered for her. She picked him up and placed him on the forest floor. "Come on, we've got to get out of here."

While Leia was intent on going a certain direction, Wicket tugged at her and pointed at the opposite direction. He would lead her to the Ewok village, high up in the tree canopy.

 **Ok, so Leia made a very unlikely ally in Wicket. It's kind of funny to know that the Ewoks will turn the tide for the Rebellion. Over the next chapter, the crew will be captured by the Ewoks, C3PO will be (humorously) mistaken for a God and Luke will finally unveil the big, shocking secret to Leia. Feel free to leave a review.**


	18. Leia learns of her True Heritage

**Emperor's Throne Room, Death Star**

The door of the elevator hissed as it opened, revealing Darth Vader. He slowly walked by the stairs which lead up to Palpatine's chair. Even when he had his back turned, he could sense his Apprentice's presence.

"I told you to remain on the command ship." He grumbled.

Vader thought it important to relay the recent developments. "A small Rebel force has penetrated the shield and landed on Endor."

Palpatine wasn't surprised in the least. "Yes, I know."

"My son and the daughter of Skywalker's Apprentice is with them." Vader could feel their presences shining bright through the Force.

Palpatine rotated his chair to finally face him. "Are you sure ?"

Vader merely nodded. "I have felt them, my Master."

Palpatine raised his brow. "Strange that I have not. I wonder if your feelings on this matter are clear, Lord Vader."

Vader couldn't refuse his Master's whims and wishes. "They are clear, my Master."

"Then you must go to the Sanctuary Moon and wait for them." Palpatine ordered.

Vader seemed surprised. "They will come to me ?"

Palpatine let off an eerie cackle. "I have foreseen it. Their compassion for you will be their undoing. They will come to you and you will bring them before me. Soon, we will have another Sith Lord and a Sith Lady at our side. We will be… unstoppable."

Vader still followed his Master's command and bowed before leaving. "As you wish."

 **Forest Floor, Forest Moon of Endor**

Han, Luke, Chewie, Mina and the droids were searching frantically for Leia. In the distance, Han seemed to have found something. He called out to his friend.

"Luke ! Luke !"

Luke, having found Leia's helmet, ran towards Han, whom was looking at the remains of the speeders and fallen Scout Troopers.

"There's two more wrecked speeders back there. And I found this." Luke tossed Leia's helmet to Han.

Mina knelt to the ground, looking for clues. "Well, I'd say she's doing rather well on her own, wherever she is. I mean, she did manage to trash those Scouts and blast their speeders before they could alert their command station."

R2 had his radar dish out, scanning for Leia's position. He beeped mournfully. C3PO translated for those unable to understand Binary. "I'm afraid that R2's sensors can find no trace of Princess Leia."

Han became increasingly concerned for his lover's well-being. "I hope she's all right."

Chewie suddenly barked and roared as he took a path through the foliage. Han quickly ran after him. "What, Chewie ? What ? Chewie !"

Chewie arrived by a piece of fresh meat, just waiting to be eaten.

Han scratched his head in confusion. "Hey, I don't get it."

Chewie barked some more. Han just shrugged his shoulders. "Nah, it's just a dead animal, Chewie."

Mina licked her lips. "Suddenly, my Togrutan predatory instincts are kicking in ! At least, this looks more filling than Thimiars I hunted back on Shili when Mom was training me in our traditional ways. I also managed to kill an Akul when I was 13. Not bad, huh ?"

As both Mina and Chewie were about to help themselves, Luke sensed there was something amiss. "Chewie, Mina, wa-wait ! Don't !"

All 6 of them were immediately balled up in a large net made of tough rope, holding them fairly high above the ground.

If Han could clap for their blunder, he would. "Nice work. Great, you two ! Great ! Always thinking with your stomachs !"

Mina quickly corrected him. "Ahem, it's a first for me, you know ? I never said I was perfect, have I ?"

"Aww, shut it, Snips !"

Luke quickly broke off their trade of insults. "Will you all take it easy ? Let's just figure out a way to get out of this thing. Han, can you reach my lightsaber ?"

Han struggled to reach for Luke's weapon. "Yeah, sure !"

Mina rolled her eyes at the two. "You didn't even ask me ? Oh, right ! My hands are _tied up_ so I can't even reach my kriffing sabers ! If we don't get out of here soon, I'm going to go _crazy_!"

Han shot a glance back at the Half-Togruta. "Snips ! Shut. The. Hell. Up."

R2, being at the bottom of the net with C3PO, had enough of being cooped up. He extended a small buzzsaw and began to cut into the rope.

C3PO had a bad feeling. "R2, I'm not sure that such a good idea. It's a very long DROP !"

All of them collapsed on the forest floor. Mina quickly sat up. "Oooowwww… I think I squished my rear lek in the fall." She felt it quickly. "Ouch ! Stings !"

Han, Luke Chewie and R2 regained their senses, only to see that they are surrounded by Ewoks. All pointed their spears at the intruders.

One of them, named Teebo, came a bit too close to Han's face. He quickly grabbed it by the middle, pushing it away. "Hey ! Point that thing someplace else !"

Teebo argued with a fellow Ewok before returning the spear in Han's face. He quickly grabbed the spear again and raised his blaster. "Hey !"

The Ewoks, having never seen a Togruta, tried to grab at Mina's lekku. They managed to yank them a few times, to Mina's discomfort. She quickly faced the Ewoks, bearing her fangs at them. "Get back, you hairballs, or I'll bite !"

Luke tried to calm his friends down. "Han, Mina, don't. It'll be all right."

The Ewoks quickly took away their weapons, leaving Chewie for last. He growled his disapproval. "Chewie, give them your crossbow."

C3PO finally sat up. "Oh, my head." He looked as the Ewoks began to bow and chant. "Oh, my Goodness !"

Hearing them chatter between themselves, Luke wondered what they were saying. "Do you understand what they're saying ?"

C3PO spoke in Ewokese. "Oh yes, Master Luke ! Remember that I'm fluent in 6 million forms of communication."

Han cut to the chase quick. "What are you telling them ?"

"Hello, I think… I could be mistaken. They're using a very primitive dialect. But I do believe they think I am some sort of God." C3PO answered.

Mina snorted a laugh while R2 beeped and Chewie barked a laugh of his own.

Han couldn't help but smirk at the amusement. "Well, why don't you use your divine influence and get us out of this ?"

"Beg your pardon, General Solo, but that wouldn't be proper." C3PO countered.

Suddenly, Han's amusement faded. "Proper ?!"

C3PO quickly explained. "It's against my programming to impersonate a deity !"

Han raised his blaster and tried to grab him. "Why, you… !"

Before Han could make a move, all of the Ewoks circled him and pointed spears at him, growling. Han raised his hands in surrender. "My mistake. He's an old friend of mine."

 **Ewok Village**

The Ewoks had brought all of them to their village. Luke, Han, Chewie had their hands and feet bound to a log that they were carrying. For Mina, they also tied up her lekku around her. C3PO was being carried in a large wooden chair. As they set him down, they brought the others to the fire pits. Mother Ewoks held their babies closer as they noticed the strange newcomers. All gathered at the central part of the village, where the Medicine Man named Logray and the Chief named Chirpa, walked out of their huts to have a look at the new arrivals.

Han had a hunch of what was coming. "I have a really bad feeling about this."

While Chewie barked a reply, Mina was quick to slip a snark aimed at him. "You don't say ! We're getting barbecued ! Never thought I'd end up as dinner for a bunch of hairballs !"

Logray chatted with C3PO, motioning to him and the other captives. Panic began to set in when firewood was placed underneath everyone.

Han's patience was wearing thin. "What did he say ?"

C3PO looked at them, somewhat troubled. "I'm rather embarrassed, General Solo, but it appears you are to be the main course at a banquet in my honor."

Mina's lekku stripes paled slightly. "Yep, we're lunch ! What a way to go !"

Several Ewoks beat on some drums, creating a festive ambience. The music brought Leia out of a hut, dressed in an animal-skin dress.

Han was relieved to see her safe and sound. "Leia !"

She tried to approach her friend, but several Ewoks quickly blocked her with their spears.

C3PO addressed her with courtesy. "Your Royal Highness !"

"But these are my friends !" Leia quickly shot a glance at C3PO. "3PO, tell them they must be set free !"

C3PO addressed Logray and Chirpa. Both Ewoks disapproved of C3PO's suggestion, ordering several Ewoks to pile more wood in the fire pits.

Han glared angrily at the protocol droid. "Somehow, I got the feeling that didn't help us very much !"

Luke came up with an idea. "3PO, tell them that if they don't do what you wish, you will become angry and use your magic."

C3PO knew he couldn't pull a stunt like that. "But Master Luke, what magic ? I couldn't possibly…"

"Just tell them." Luke shot a glance towards Mina, winking at her.

She understood his meaning. " _Ohhh, right. Right ! Let's give 3PO a "hand" with his "magic"._ "

C3PO told them and while they were somewhat bothered, the Ewoks went along with their first intention. As they were about to put the fire to cook Han and the others, Luke and Mina concentrated with the Force. Luke manipulated C3PO's throne while Mina had "fun" with the Ewoks' spears.

"You see Master Luke, they didn't believe me. Just as I said they wouldn't…" His throne began to float in the air, causing panic and terror to the Ewok population. C3PO, himself, was also terrified when he saw the spears flying around in all directions. "Wha-what… what's happening ?! Oh ! Oh, dear !"

As C3PO's throne began to spin, Chirpa and Logray ordered several Ewoks to put out the fires and release the captives. All the while, C3PO's panicking rose to new heights. "Put me down ! Help ! Master Luke ! Mistress Mina ! R2 ! Somebody, somebody help ! Master Luke, Mina, R2 ! R2, quickly ! Somebody, do something ! Oh ! Ohhh !"

Once everybody was released, Han and Leia embraced each other while C3PO's throne finally returned to where it stood before the incident. Mina returned the spears to each Ewok, using the Force. C3PO felt much relief. "Oh, oh, oh, oh ! Thank Goodness !"

"Thanks, 3PO." Luke also felt much relief following the exercise.

C3PO wondered how he was capable of such. "I… I never knew I had it in me."

During the evening, all of the Ewoks gathered in Chief Chirpa's hut. The Chief sat in his throne, surrounded by Council members and Logray. The Rebels stood by the entrance and watched as C3PO described their adventures in Ewokese. He also created the sound of Imperial walkers, Tie-Fighters, the Death Star and Darth Vader's breathing to enrich the tale. From their meeting with Obi-Wan Kenobi to their recent rescue attempt at Jabba the Hutt's Palace, the Ewoks Elders convened with each other after the tale was finished.

They came upon a decision which surprised the Rebels. C3PO was glad to tell the good news. "Wonderful ! We are now part of the tribe !"

Several gathered around and hugged the Rebels. Wicket wrapped himself around one of Han's legs. "Just what I always wanted." Han knew they would be handy in the coming battle. He turned to the Wookie, smiling. "Well, short help is better than no help at all, Chewie."

Mina contented herself to pet a few Ewoks on the head while most were captivated by her lekku, wanting to touch them. Teebo applied a bit too much pressure on her right lek. "Woah, little buddy ! Easy, easy ! They're real sensitive to touch !"

Chirpa discussed some plans with C3PO. He immediately turned to Han. "He says the scouts are going to show us the quickest way to reach the shield generator."

Luke and Mina wandered outside, but not without Leia noticing. She followed the two outside.

Han tried to get as much information as possible. "Good. How far is it ? Ask him. We need some fresh supplies, too. And try to get our weapons back." C3PO went back and forth between Han and Chirpa. Han was getting impatient. "Hurry it up, will ya ? I haven't got all night."

Outside in the deserted wooden walkways, Luke and Mina were caught up by the sight of the Death Star. Leia slowly walked over to them. "Luke, Mina, what's wrong ?"

Luke knew it was time to break the truth to Leia. He nudged Mina gently. "Do you mind taking a walk elsewhere ? I'd like to speak with Leia alone, please ?"

Mina didn't argue and slowly walked away. "Comm me when you're done, ok ?"

Luke waved her goodbye and turned his attention back to Leia. "Leia… do you remember your mother ? Your real mother ?"

Leia pondered her answer for a bit. "It's vague, Luke. Very, very vague. I was told she died not long after I was born."

Luke held on to the wooden railing. "What do you remember ?"

"Just images, really. Feelings."

"Tell me." Luke pleaded.

Leia took a deep breath. "I was told she was very beautiful. A strong woman with great kindness. But she was also sad. She must have had a traumatic event not long before my birth. Why are you asking me this ?"

Luke turned away. "I have no memory of my mother. I never knew her."

Leia could tell something was bothering him. "Luke, tell me. What's troubling you ?"

Luke didn't waste a moment to answer. "Vader's here. Now, on this moon."

Leia stared at him, a troubled brow showing. "How do you know ?"

"I've felt his presence. He's come for me and Mina. He can feel us when we're near. That's why we have to go. As long as we stay here, we're endangering the group and our mission here. We have to face him." Luke explained.

Leia had trouble thinking why Luke and Mina had to face Vader. "Why ?"

Luke tilted gently to Leia. "He's my father."

Leia suddenly gave a look of horror and outright disgust. "Your father ?"

Luke braced himself for the other part of the secret. "There's more. It won't be easy for you to hear it, but you must. If Mina and I don't make it back, you're the only hope for the Alliance."

Leia shook her head. "Luke, don't talk that way. You and Mina have a power I… I don't understand and could never have."

It was time. "You're wrong, Leia. You have that power too. In time, you'll learn to use it as I have. Mina's been a really good teacher, her mother is even better if you can believe that. The Force is strong in our families. Mina's mother has it, passed it on to her daughter. My father has it… I have it… and… my sister has it."

Leia stares at Luke while she struggles to comprehend his meaning. Then it crashes on her. She is Luke's twin sister !

Luke wrapped a loving arm around her. "Yes, it's you, Leia."

She rested her head against his shoulder. "I know. Somehow… I've always known."

"Then you know why me and Mina have to face him."

Leia feared for them. "No ! Luke, take Mina with you and run away ! Far away ! If he can feel your presences, then leave this place. I wish I could go with you two."

Luke shook his head. "No, you don't. You've always been strong, but this will be dangerous. There's no guarantee that Mina or I will return back."

Leia swallowed a nervous lump in her throat. "But why must you two confront him ?"

"Because… there is good in him. I've felt it. He won't turn us over to the Emperor. Together, we can save him. Mina's mother has a history with Vader. Mina's presence will likely trigger happy memories to come to the surface, when her mother and my father served together in the Clone Wars. We have to try."

They hug each other one last time. Luke quickly opened his comlink. "Mina ? It's done. She knows it all now. Meet me at the center of the village in 10 minutes, ok ?"

"Copy that, Luke. I'll be waiting. See you in a bit !"

As Luke left off, Leia stood by the railing, clearly overwhelmed by the news she heard. Han stepped out and met up with her, noticing that she's crying. "Hey, what's going on ?"

Leia turned her back to him. "Nothing. I… just want to be alone for a little while."

Han knew she was lying. "Nothing ? Come on, tell me. What's going on ?" He probed.

She turned to him, tear stains all over her face. "I… I can't tell you."

Han quickly lost his temper. "Did you tell Luke and Mina ?! Is that who you could tell ?!"

Leia was at a loss for words. Han walked away for a moment, stopped and walked back to her. She needed emotional support, he could tell that much. "I'm sorry."

"Hold me." Leia accepted Han's protective embrace, trying to avoid thinking of worse case scenarios concerning Luke and Mina.

 **Leia has just learned the most shocking secret in her life. Next chapter, the Battle of Endor will begin while Luke and Mina meet Palpatine. Will Mina be enough to trigger Vader's past ? Feel free to leave a review.**


	19. Luke and Mina meet the Emperor

**Imperial Base, Forest Moon of Endor**

An Imperial shuttle slowly landed by the entrance of the base. As Darth Vader walked in, a lone AT-AT was patrolling around the area, its searchlights shining bright. Once inside and down several elevators, Vader met with the commander of the base, presenting him both Luke and Mina, in binders.

"These are Rebels that surrendered to us. Although they deny it, I believe there may be more of them, and I request permission to conduct a further search of the area." He handed over three lightsabers to Vader. "They were armed only with these."

Vader gazed at Luke and Mina briefly before returning his attention to the commander. "Good work, Commander. Leave us. Conduct your search and bring their companions to me."

The commander quickly bowed before moving into the elevator with a couple of Stormtroopers by his side. "Yes, my Lord."

Once the 3 were alone, Vader turned over to Luke. "The Emperor has been expecting you two."

Despite being in binders, Luke remained calm. "We know, Father."

Vader was surprised to hear Luke refer him as such. "So, you have accepted the truth ?"

"I've accepted the truth that you were once Anakin Skywalker, my Father." Luke quickly replied.

A bit of anger released forth from the Sith Lord. "That name no longer has any meaning to me."

Luke attempted to reach out with compassion and understanding. "It is the name of your true self. You've only forgotten. I know there is good in you. The Emperor hasn't driven it from you fully. That is why you couldn't destroy me. That's why you won't bring me and Mina to your Emperor now."

For a brief moment of hesitation, Vader remained silent. As if pondering Luke's words. He grasped Luke's weapon. "I see you have constructed a new lightsaber." Igniting it and Mina's, he noticed a slight difference on the design of both. "Girl, was it you that trained him ?"

"The bare basics on understanding the Force and basic lightsaber combat was my part. My mother completed his training a while back, guiding Luke over the construction of his new, better lightsaber." Mina calmly explained.

Vader tightened one of his fists, trying his hardest to push away long, forgotten memories. "She is more resourceful than I had anticipated. I was sure I had seen the last of her on Malachor. No matter, in little time, _you_ will be forced to terminate her."

Mina scoffed at the thought. "Me, killing my mother ?! Psh ! Not likely !"

"The Emperor will soon turn you over to the Dark Side, then you'll serve his will without question." Vader focused his attention back at Luke. "Your skills are complete. Indeed, you are powerful, as the Emperor has foreseen."

"Come with us." Luke offered.

"Obi-Wan once thought as you do." Vader towered over Luke, pointing at him. "You don't know the power of the Dark Side. I _must_ obey my Master."

Luke shook his head. "I will not turn, neither will Mina. You'll be forced to kill us both."

"If that is your destiny." Vader countered.

Luke tried again to reach out to him. "Search your feelings, Father. You can't do this ! I feel the conflict within you. Let go of your hate !"

Mina tried her luck, taking a huge risk. "Skyguy ! Get a grip on yourself !"

Vader immediately whipped over to Mina's direction. "You have no right to call me by that name ! You are _not_ your mother ! Only she was entitled to call me like that !"

Mina shrugged her shoulders. "You're right ! I'm not my mother ! I'm her legacy ! Her potential ! Her goodness ! While she was with you, she was your voice of reason, she knew how to keep your anger from getting out of control in so many situations ! It's no wonder you lost that control after she left !"

Vader was so close to Force-Choking her out of anger. "Enough ! That's all in the past ! Anakin Skywalker was weak. I destroyed him. Your attempts to convert me back to the Light will be in vain." He calmed himself before turning to Luke. "It is too late for me, son. The Emperor will show you the true nature of the Force. He is your Master now."

As a couple of Stormtroopers grabbed Luke and Mina, the former has to express his disappointment. "Then my father is truly dead."

As Luke and Mina were escorted to the shuttle, Vader stood alone in the hallway, questioning his coming actions. " _Can I do this ? Allow my son and my Apprentice's daughter to be broken as I have been ? Can I redeem myself for all the horrors I've committed over the years ? Strangling Padmé out of anger and hate ? Attempting to kill Ahsoka back on Malachor ? Or killing those two half-trained Jedi that were part of the Ghost Crew, along with that Mandalorian girl and the Lasat Honor Guard ? That Twi'lek pilot… never will I forget her look of terror and grief once she was left with only her astromech… No ! I must follow my Master's orders… no matter the price or consequence. I must remain loyal._ "

 **Outskirts of Imperial Base and Shield Generator**

While Luke and Mina departed with Vader towards the Death Star, Han, Leia, Chewie, Rex, C3PO, R2 and a couple of Ewoks gathered at a ridge overlooking the Shield Generator.

" _Well, there they go. I can't believe they willingly surrendered themselves over to him. They better return back in one piece !_ " Leia snapped out of her thoughts as she studied the installation. "The main entrance to the control bunker is on the far side of that landing platform. This isn't gonna be easy."

Rex placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I've gone through some of the most heavily guarded locations during the Clone Wars and came out alive. This is nothing compared to some Separatist locations I thought were going to be the last places I'd see. All we need is the right timing. When those Scouts head out for their patrol, we can sneak around and catch the rest off-guard."

Han smirked, trying to lighten the mood. "Hey, don't worry, Captain. Chewie and me got into a lot of places more heavily guarded than this. This'll be a cinch ! Come on, what are we waiting for ?"

Rex looked over his shoulder. "With all due respect, General Solo, I'd suggest that we wait things out a bit more. It we blow our cover, the fate of the Galaxy as we know it is doomed. We've only got one chance at this."

The Ewok scout, named Paploo, conversed with Wicket in Ewokese. Once they agreed, Wicket got C3PO's attention.

Leia felt there was a clue. "What's he saying ?"

C3PO quickly translated. "He says there's a secret entrance on the other side of the ridge."

 **In Space**

The Rebel Fleet were in flight as Admiral Ackbar lead the Fleet with his immense Mon Calamari Cruiser. Going in between the massive vessels, the Ghost and the Millennium Falcon lead a string of X-Wings and A-Wings. Inside the cockpit of the Ghost, Hera and Chopper were arguing.

"No, Chopper ! We are not backing out on this ! We're going to give them everything we've got ! Our friends were murdered by the Empire, we'll ensure their sacrifice wasn't for nothing !"

Chopper beeped a reply, sounding somewhat disheartened. Hera quickly comforted him. "I know, I miss them too, buddy. Especially Kanan…" She choked a sob, thinking of him. " _Why did everything had to go so wrong ?! We were so close… So close… Oh, Kanan…_ "

In the cockpit of the Falcon, Lando sat with the Sullustan, Nien Numb, by his side. He commed Ackbar. "Admiral, we're in position. All fighters are accounted for."

Ackbar sat comfortably in his seat, ready to initiate the next move. "Proceed with the countdown. All groups assume attack coordinates."

Nien had to convey his doubts and fears in Sullustese, to which Lando clearly understood. "Don't worry, my friends are down there. They'll have that shield down on time… Or this'll be the shortest offensive of all time."

Back on Ackbar's ship, he readied the Fleet to move to their final destination. "All craft, prepare to jump to hyperspace on my mark."

Hera acknowledge his orders. "Phoenix Squadron standing by, Admiral !"

Lando did his part with his ships. "All right, standing by."

Once the chime was heard, all cruisers, fighters, the Ghost and the Falcon entered hyperspace… towards the location of the Death Star.

 **Outskirts of the Imperial Base and Shield Generator, Forest Moon of Endor**

The remainder of the Strike Team met up with Rex, Han, Leia, Chewie, the droids and the Ewoks. Rex kept watching his Chrono, then sighed. "We've been waiting for nearly half an hour for those Scouts to move out. It seems they don't have any reconnaissance trips planned."

Paploo whistled and motioned Han and the other to where he was looking. Despite not understanding the Ewok, he figured out what he was pointing at. "Back door, huh ? Good idea."

While Paploo and Wicket chatted in Ewokese, Han moved closer to the base's main entrance in the thick foliage. "It's only a few guards. This shouldn't be too much trouble."

Leia quickly grabbed his arm, holding him back. "It only takes one to sound the alarm."

Han couldn't help but flash a mischievous grin at her. "Then we'll do it real quiet-like."

C3PO chatted with the Ewoks and understood what would happen once Paploo sneaked off towards the base. "Oh ! Oh, my ! Uh, Princess Leia !"

Leia quickly placed a hand over his mouth. "Quiet !"

In response, C3PO spoke in a whisper. "I'm afraid that our furry companion has gone and done something rather rash."

Leia looked in alarm as Paploo quietly slipped onto one of the speeders. "Oh, no."

Han could feel a headache coming. "There goes our surprise attack."

Rex cleared his throat. "Actually, General Solo, I believe his mingling with that speeder is just the distraction we need. Hopefully, he'll figure out how to get it running."

Paploo fiddled with the various switches until the speeder hummed to life. One of the four Scout Troopers quickly noticed him. "Look ! Over there ! Stop him !"

In a second, Paploo was hanging to dear life as the speeder zoomed off in the distance. 3 of the Scout Troopers went in pursuit, leaving one on his own to guard the base's entrance.

Rex chuckled. "Ha ha ha ! What did I tell you ? Huh ? Huh ?! We're pretty much in the clear now !"

Han was delighted by their sudden change of luck. "Not bad for a little furball ! There's only one left. Rex, stay with Leia and the droids. Me and Chewie will handle this."

C3PO quickly walked over to where R2 and Wicket stood. "I have decided that we will stay here."

Deep into the forest, Paploo quickly figured out the controls and was flying smoothly around the trees. As the pursuing Scouts shot his speeder, it sent him spinning for a moment. He quickly regained control and flew towards a stray vine which he used to swing to the safety of the canopy. While the now unmanned speeder kept going, the Scouts were oblivious that their furry quarry was long gone.

Back at the Imperial Base, Han sneaked around the lone Scout Trooper and tapped him on the shoulder, getting him to chase him where the rest of the Strike Team waited. Once he surrendered, the group finally gained access into the base.

 **Emperor's Throne Room, Death Star**

Once the elevator door opened, Darth Vader lead Luke and Mina towards his Master. Palpatine rotated his chair to face them. Vader bowed before his Master.

Palpatine gave off an eerie smile as he looked down upon the two youths. "Welcome, young Skywalker and Bonteri. I have been expecting you." He waved his hand slightly, causing the binders to open and fall to the ground. "You no longer need those."

Luke looked in awe as he quickly became aware how powerful the Emperor was with the Force.

Palpatine wanted to be alone with the 3, so he sent his guards off. "Guards, leave us." They left behind the elevator and towards a corridor in the back, disappearing from sight.

Palpatine stared at the two, trying to instill some discomfort and fear. "I'm looking forward to completing your training, my new Apprentices. In time, you will both call me "Master"."

Mina crossed her arms over her chest, rolling her eyes. "That must be some pretty amazing dream you've been having. Want to tell me about it ?"

Luke couldn't believe that Mina had the audacity to land a snark at the Emperor. For his response, he remained serious. "You're gravely mistaken. You won't convert me or Mina as you did my Father."

Palpatine rose from his chair, slowly walking towards them. "Oh, no, my young Jedi. It is you who is mistaken… about a great many things."

Vader offered him their weapons. "Their lightsabers."

The Emperor admired the designs of the 3. "Ah, yes. This one is definitely akin to those used by the Jedi during the days of the Old Republic. Much like your Father's. Now the girl's sabers are interesting, they neither resemble those of the Jedi nor Sith. How curious !" Palpatine refocused his attention on Luke. "By now, you must know your father can never be turned from the Dark Side. So will it be with you two."

Luke shook his head. "You're wrong. Soon we'll be dead… and you with us."

Palpatine chuckled as he knew what they meant. "Perhaps you refer to the imminent attack of your Rebel Fleet. Yes, I assure you. We are quite safe from your friends here !"

Luke challenged him. "Your overconfidence is your weakness."

Mina quickly nodded. "Yeah. I was just about to say that myself !"

Palpatine turned his back momentarily. "You, Skywalker, have too much faith in your friends. And you, Bonteri, that arrogance that you've inherited from your _dear_ mother will be your downfall."

Mina once again rolled her eyes. "I do have a knack for annoying people to no end, I get that a lot ! You better be careful, Palpy ! If you even think to lay a finger on me, my mother will come and give you a beating you won't forget !"

Vader turned to the two youths. "It is pointless to resist, both of you. Even if your mother came to your aid, her skills would be far too weak to be a threat to my Master. She would be destroyed quickly… and painfully."

"Everything that has transpired has done so according to my design. Your friends up there on the Sanctuary Moon… are walking into a trap. As is your Rebel Fleet." Palpatine had no qualms showcasing his overconfidence. "It was _I_ who allowed the Alliance to know the location of the Shield Generator. It is quite safe from your pitiful little band. An entire legion of my best troops await them." Palpatine stood up again, looking at the two in mockery. "Oh, I'm afraid the deflector shield will be quite operational when your friends arrive."

 **Erso Farm, Lah'mu**

Ahsoka was caught up in her usual meditation when she felt her daughter's distress through her Force Bond. "Mina ?! What are you doing aboard the Death Star with Luke ?! The Emperor wants to break you like he did with Anakin ?! Not if I have anything to do about it, he won't ! Hang in there ! I'm coming as fast as I can !" She quickly rushed outside to where Lux was planting seeds on the ground.

"Lux ! Stop everything that you're doing ! I've just got contacted by Mina through our Force Bond ! She's aboard the Death Star with Luke ! If we don't move quickly, we're going to lose our daughter to the Emperor ! It was bad enough that we lost Anakin because of him ! I'm not about to let him turn Mina into his latest Sith Apprentice ! Come on !"

Lux quickly grabbed Ahsoka by her shoulders. "In case you forgot, Mina took the Tydirium to fly their team to Endor… We don't have another means of space travel."

She pulled his hands off her shoulders. "Oh, really ? Have you looked into Galen Erso's abandoned spaceport not too far from here ?"

Lux scratched the back of his neck, embarrassed. "I… guess not, 'Soka. What will we find there exactly ?"

"Our ride to save Mina." They took a speeder and reached the small warehouse within a couple of minutes. "Look, we're here. Hurry up !"

Opening the large door, Lux's eyes widened in awe and surprise. "I… I don't believe it ! A Y-Wing Bomber dating back from the Clone Wars ?! Does it still work ?"

"We'll find out soon, hop in ! I'll pilot, you'll man the turret gun." They climbed into their designated spots. Ahsoka did a quick scan of the ship's functions. "Not only is she still flyable, but the fuel tank is full. It's a good bet to think that Galen Erso never had a chance to use this before Krennic found him. Are you ready ?"

Lux tried to figure out the controls of the turret. "Here's hoping I won't have to use this. So Mina is with Luke on the Death Star ? How will we find it ?"

Ahsoka took a moment to think of the best course of action. "Hmm… If I trace the last known location of the Rebel Fleet, odds are we'll end up right next to it. Do I need to tell you that we'll likely end up in the middle of the Rebel Alliance's biggest space battle against the Empire ?"

"Oh ? So we'll be caught in the crossfire ? That's a reassuring thought." Lux joked.

"Just do your best. I'll likely perform some crazy moves to avoid being blasted, just so you know." Ahsoka began to fly the Y-Wing towards space and entered the coordinates to the last known location of the Rebel Fleet.

"How long should it take us to reach our destination ?" Lux queried.

"Hopefully within half an hour if we're fast enough. Hold on to your seat, Lux. I'm entering hyperspace _now_ !"

The old ship zoomed through hyperspace as quickly as possible. They'd hope they would reach their destination in record time.

 **The stage is set. Now the real battles come next. Over the next chapter, the Endor Strike Team will run into some slight complications before things improve. Luke and Mina will be in for the fight of their lives as they battle Darth Vader and attempt to reach out to Anakin, buried deep inside. As for Lando and Hera's part, let's say that the fallen members of the Ghost Crew will be avenged. Please review.**


	20. The Battle of Endor, Part One

**Imperial Base, Forest Moon of Endor**

The Rebels lead by Han quickly took control of the bunker, taking any and all Imperials prisoner. Chewie's size was enough to intimidate most of the officers into submission. They began placing explosive charges all over the place.

Han kept his blaster aimed at the Imperials. "All right ! Up ! Move ! Come on ! Quickly ! Quickly, Chewie."

Leia gave a quick look at the control panel, seeing an Imperial shuttle coming up. "Han ! Hurry ! The Fleet will be here any moment."

Han urge his team to move as quickly as possible. "Charges ! Come on, come on !"

Outside the base, C3PO and R2 watched as the Imperial reinforcements charged into the bunker. "Oh, my ! They'll be captured !"

Their Ewok friend, Wicket, took off towards his village. "Wa-wait ! Wait, come back !" C3PO placed a hand on R2's dome. "R2, stay with me !" The astromech warbled a reply, sticking around.

Back inside the base, Han and his team are surprised by the Imperials. "Freeze ! You Rebel scum !"

In little time, what hope they had faded as more Imperials flooded into the bunker.

 **In Space, close to the Death Star and the Forest Moon**

The Rebel Fleet finally exited hyperspace and were ready to commence their attack. While Admiral Ackbar coordinated the strike, it was up to Hera and Lando to lead the fighters.

Lando took a note of all participants. "We're finally here, Hera. I know this must be tough on you. This is where you'll avenge the rest of your Crew that died before the first Death Star was destroyed. All wings, report in !"

Wedge was the first to answer. "Red Leader, standing by !"

Another called in. "Gray Leader, standing by !"

The last group made its presence known. "Green Leader, standing by !"

Wedge motioned the other fighters to follow his lead. "Lock S-Foils in attack positions."

Hera did her part to instill hope in everyone. "This is it, everyone ! Remember where you all came from ! Do the Rebel Alliance proud ! Get ready !"

From his seat, Admiral Ackbar watched as the ships prepared to fly to the Death Star. "Well spoken, General Syndulla. May the Force be with us."

Inside the Ghost's cockpit, Chopper had his radar dish out and grumbled a comment.

Hera turned to him. "What do you mean we're being jammed ?" She contacted Lando. "Lando, we may have a problem. According to Chopper, we're being jammed. I fear the shield hasn't been destroyed yet."

Lando cursed himself internally. "Hera, what was that ?! We've got to be able to get some kind of reading on that shield, up or down. And how could they be jamming us if they don't know… that we're coming ?"

Chopper grumbled some more. "Looks like we've all being suckered, Calrissian ! Everybody, turn around NOW ! That is an order !"

Lando seconded Hera's motion. "General Syndulla is right ! Break off the attack ! The shield is still up !"

Wedge looked on his scope. "I get no reading, are you sure ?"

"If we're being jammed, there's a reason, Wedge ! They were hoping we'd crash into the invisible shield ! Turn around !" Hera shouted through the comm.

Lando sped off in front of the Ghost. "Pull up ! All craft pull up !"

The Falcon and the Ghost lead the fighters away several meters from the invisible shield.

Alarms blared inside Ackbar's vessel. He had to ensure the rest of the Fleet would avoid crashing into the shield as well. "Take evasive action ! Green Group, stick close to holding sector MV-7 !"

One of Ackbar's aides discovered more trouble. "Admiral, we have Enemy ships in sector 47 !"

"It's a trap !" Ackbar's view changed to Star Destroyers, blocking their escape.

Lando watched as Tie-Fighters poured out in massive numbers. "Fighters coming in !"

Inside the Ghost, Hera needed Chopper's help more than ever. "Place all power in the forward shields ! I'll do the flying and most of the shooting ! Be ready to give me a hand ! And I don't want to hear a grumble out of you, are we clear ?!"

For once, Chopper didn't argue.

One of Green Group's fighters was quickly overwhelmed. "There's too many of them !"

Lando sought to protect Ackbar's and other massive ships. "Accelerate to attack speed ! Draw their fire away from the cruisers !"

Wedge stood close to the Falcon and the Ghost. "Copy that, Gold Leader."

 **Emperor's Throne Room, Death Star**

The space battle could be seen from Palpatine's window. He motioned to Luke and Mina to take a look. "Come, children. See for yourselves. From here, you two will witness the final destruction of the Alliance and the end of your insignificant Rebellion."

Both Luke and Mina gazed at their lightsabers. Palpatine noticed and attempted to taunt them. "You want these, don't you ? Take your weapons. Use them. I am unarmed. Strike me down with it. Give in to your anger. With each passing moment, you two make yourselves more my servants."

Mina held Luke's shoulder. "Don't. He's clearly trying to goad us into action. Don't let it get to you."

Luke resisted his urge to attack the Emperor. "No."

Palpatine knew they could only hold back for so long. "It is unavoidable. It is your destiny. The two of you, like Lord Vader, are now… _mine_!"

 **Imperial Base, Forest Moon of Endor**

As the Imperials lead Han, Leia and Chewie outside, they could see that their Strike Team, including Rex, had also been captured. The reinforcements included not only a lot of Stormtroopers, but also AT-ST Imperial walkers. They were prowling the area for any Rebels that avoided capture.

The Rebels were pushed next to the others. "All right, move it ! I said move it ! Go on !"

Once Han was next to Rex, the clone captain offered an explanation. "You're probably wondering how we got caught ? A slight distraction caused us to be surprised by the reinforcements. Never thought I'd see myself in the situation we are now."

Han shrugged his shoulders. "Yep, we blew it ! How long until they decide to bring in a firing squad for us ?"

Out in the bushes, C3PO and R2 showed themselves. "Hello ! I say, over there ! Were you looking for me ?"

Han would have face-palmed if he wasn't ordered to hold his hands on his head. "What the hell is he doing ?!"

The Imperial Commander pointed at the golden droid. "Bring these two down there !"

As they hid behind the base of their tree, C3PO turned to his counterpart. "Well, they're on their way ! R2, are you sure this was a good idea ?"

6 Stormtroopers quickly reached the two. "Freeze ! Don't move !"

C3PO held his hands in the air. "We surrender !"

Before the Stormtroopers could detain them, a group of Ewoks dropped on them and quickly overwhelmed them. C3PO quickly distanced himself from the battleground.

All of a sudden, a couple of horns rang out in the forest. A veritable army of Ewoks shuffled out of the foliage, surprising the Imperials. Logray ordered the archers to begin firing. Many Scouts and Stormtroopers were brought down by the volley. This was the distraction the Rebels needed to gain the upper hand. Chewie grabbed a Stormtrooper, tossing him onto another, knocking both unconscious. Han began firing at Stormtroopers and Imperial officers, bringing a few down.

Leia, on her end, shot a AT-ST pilot while Rex managed to haul a Scout Trooper over his shoulder, knocking the wind out of him. They quickly ran to the bunker door, staying out of harm's way from all the ensuing chaos.

The Ewoks had clever ways to deal with the Imperials. Some tossed large stones from above, knocking a good deal down. Speeders were brought down by having a rope extended between two trees, bringing down the driver and causing the speeder to crash into a tree.

Back at the bunker doors, Leia tried to use the keypad. "The code's changed ! We need R2 !"

Han handed her a comlink. "Here's the terminal."

"R2, where are you ? We need you at the bunker right away !"

Han managed to blast a Stormtrooper right in the face, bringing him down.

Back at the base of the tree, R2 beeped his intentions. Of course, C3PO began to panic. "Going ? What do you mean ? But going where, R2 ? No, wait ! R2, this isn't the time for heroics ! Come baaaack !"

Several AT-ST patrolled the forest floor. Ewoks had set up basic catapults in an attempt to attack them. The most they could do was to send some good sized rocks at them. The armor was too strong to cause problems. The AT-ST pilots simply shot at the direction the rocks came from, thankfully missing the Ewoks for the time being. They were relentless in their attack, one tried to damage the feet with a club, undetected.

They had an ace up their sleeve. They managed to lure one AT-ST to move in a position of one of their better traps. Once the walker was in position, Ewoks cut some vines to release two large logs to swing down from left and right, smashing the head part on impact.

 **In Space**

The battle became more and more intense. The Falcon and the Ghost were leading in the hits against the hoard of Tie-Fighters. Lando quickly contacted his best X-Wing pilot. "Watch yourself, Wedge ! 3 from above !"

Wedge kept an eye on his radar. "Red 3, Red 2, pull in !"

Red 2 quickly moved out of harm's way. "Got it !"

Red 3 reported more adversaries. "3 of them coming in, 20 degrees !"

Wedge flew closely with the others. "Cut to the left ! I'll take the leader ! They're heading for the Medical Frigate !"

Hera's voice rang through the comm. "No, they won't ! This is my shot ! Let me at 'em !"

Lando didn't object her participation. "They're yours, Hera ! Get 'em !"

The Ghost flew around the Medical Frigate, blasting all Tie-Fighters in the vicinity. Chopper beeped a laugh as he saw the explosions in space.

Lando brought the Falcon back to the Imperial Fleet. "Only the Fighters are attacking. I wonder what those Star Destroyers are waiting for."

In the middle of the Imperial Fleet, the Super Star Destroyer Executor stayed, protected by direct assaults. On the bridge, an Imperial Commander met up with Admiral Piett.

"We're in attack position now, sir."

Piett simply shook his head. "Hold here."

The Commander looked in shock. "We're not going to attack ?"

"I have my orders from the Emperor himself. He has something planned for them. We only need to keep them from escaping." Piett explained.

 **Emperor's Throne Room, Death Star**

Mina and Luke looked in horror as they saw the space battle from the window, with Vader behind them.

Palpatine was so sure of his victory. "As you can see, my young Apprentices, your friends have failed. Now, witness the firepower of this fully armed and operational battle station." Palpatine pressed the comlink, contacting Jerjerrod. "Fire at will, Commander."

Luke stared at the window, panic grabbing him. Mina feared for her closest friends. "Oh, Force ! No ! NO ! Wedge ! Hera ! Lando ! They have no idea what's about to be unleashed on them !"

 **In Space**

The superlaser passed by the Ghost and the Falcon, barely missing them, destroying a large-sized Rebel Cruiser in one blow.

Chopper beeped a string of curses in Binary. "What was that ?! Where did it come from ?!" Hera couldn't believe her eyes.

Lando was also in shock. "That blast came from the Death Star ! That thing's operational ! Home One, this is Gold Leader !"

Aboard Ackbar's cruiser, alarms blared while he tried to maintain control. "We saw it ! All craft, prepare to retreat !"

Hera had a problem with that order. "WHAT ?! We're so close to ending the Empire ! I say we stay and fight !"

Lando seconded Hera's opinion. "Hera is right, Admiral ! We won't get another chance at this !"

Ackbar tried to reason with the two. "We have no choice, Generals Syndulla and Calrissian ! Our cruisers can't repel firepower of that magnitude !"

Lando wasn't about to lose faith in his friend. "Han will have that shield down, we've got to give him more time !"

 **Imperial Base, Forest Moon of Endor**

Ewoks dashed for the bushes, avoiding blasts from Stormtroopers. Back at the bunker, C3PO and R2 came as fast as they could to reach Han and Leia. "We're coming !"

Han pointed to the socket to insert his special computer arm. "Come on ! Come on !" As he tried to log into the network, a Stormtrooper aimed at R2, putting him out of commission.

C3PO looked at his counterpart, now fried by the blaster bolt. "My Goodness ! R2, why did you have to be so brave ?"

Han had to do things the hard way. "Well, I suppose I could hotwire this thing."

"I'll cover you !" Leia readied her blaster, prepared to defend Han.

Back in the forest, an AT-ST pursued a group of Ewoks. A blast caught two by surprise. One of them, stood back up, trying to rally his friend to run… only to realize that his friend was killed by the blast.

 **In Space**

The Death Star kept firing, often taking out cruisers and fighters from both sides.

Lando was becoming desperate. "Yes ! I said closer ! Move as close as you can and engage those Star Destroyers at point-blank range !"

Hera wasn't shy to voice her thoughts. "ARE YOU CRAZY ?! YOU WANT US TO DIE SO QUICKLY ?!"

Ackbar agreed with Hera, for once. "At that close range, we won't last long against those Star Destroyers !"

"We'll last longer than we will against that Death Star ! And we might just take a few of them with us !" Lando countered.

One of the pilots of Gray Group was about to go down. "She's gonna blow !"

A member of Green Group also lost control. "I'm hit !" His Y-Wing crashed into the control tower of the nearby Star Destroyer, exploding on impact.

Aboard Ackbar's cruiser, one of his aides rushed to him. "Admiral, we've got a stray Y-Wing coming out of hyperspace !"

Ackbar attempted to make contact. "This is Admiral Ackbar of the Rebel Alliance. Identify yourself !"

"This is Agent Fulcrum of the Rebellion ! I was involved in the gathering of the Forces before the destruction of the first Death Star."

Ackbar could tell the voice was female. "Agent Fulcrum ?! THE Agent Fulcrum, once known as Ahsoka Tano ?! What a surprise ! They lost contact with you over 5 years ago ! Where have you been ?"

"No time to explain now, Admiral. I take it that the shield generator hasn't been disabled yet. Once it does, I could use an escort towards the Death Star itself. My daughter is in Emperor Palpatine's clutches… and I have every intention to free her from it !" Ahsoka explained.

Ackbar didn't object to her demands. "Acknowledged, Agent Fulcrum ! We'll have a couple of fighters at your disposal the moment the shield is down ! In the meantime, can you provide us much needed assistance in this dogfight ?"

Ahsoka cracked her knuckles. "It would be my pleasure, Admiral ! Over and out !"

With Lux manning the turret, they had an easier time to blast off a majority of the Tie-Fighters coming their way.

Hera felt hopeful once she saw the crazy flight pattern. "Ahsoka ?! Glad to have you with us ! We'll need all the help we can get !"

Ahsoka chuckled. "Believe me, Hera. I'm more than happy to do my share ! Hang in there !" She managed to blast several more Tie-Fighters with Lux's help.

 **Emperor's Throne Room, Death Star**

Luke and Mina looked at the distant battle as it intensified. Palpatine gave off an evil smile. "Your Fleet has lost. And your friends on the Endor Moon will not survive. There is no escape, my young Apprentices. The Alliance will die… as will your friends."

At this point, Luke stared at his lightsaber, anger boiling within him. Palpatine definitely noticed his change in his feelings. "Good. I can feel your anger. I am defenceless. Take your weapon ! Strike me down with all of your hatred… and your journey to the Dark Side will be complete !"

At this point, even Mina couldn't hold on any longer. "I've heard about enough of this ! You're going down, sleemo !" She and Luke called their lightsabers with the Force, igniting them.

Before they could take out Palpatine, Vader blocked their attempts and began to fight them. "I will not allow you to kill my Master. You will join us… whether you want to or not !"

Mina lost her self-control. "Anakin ! Wake up ! Don't you see ?! Palpatine has been playing you all along ! Come back to the Light !"

Vader kept blocking their strikes. "You are not your mother ! You have no influence over me !"

While they fought, Palpatine enjoyed the show from the comfort of his chair. Soon, he would need to choose between one of them to succeed Vader.

 **What a rush ! Half of the Battle of Endor is covered ! Mina and Luke will keep battling Vader while Han manages to destroy the shield. Will Ahsoka be able to reach Mina in time ? Feel free to leave a review.**


	21. The Battle of Endor, Part Two

**Imperial Base, Forest Moon of Endor**

The battle near the base kept going, Stormtroopers tried all they could to get the edge over the Ewoks, but their small size made them exceedingly difficult targets. An AT-ST was pursuing a group of Ewoks, thankfully missing them with its blasters. Chewie, accompanied by a couple of Ewoks, swung to the top of the walker. One Ewok hung from one of the two windows, waving to the pilots and distracting them.

One of the pilots tried to take control of the odd situation. "Look ! Get him off of there !"

Once the other pilot climbed out, he was grabbed by Chewie and tossed down to the forest floor. In the meantime, the two Ewoks clubbed the remaining pilot unconscious. Curiosity getting the better of them, they flicked some switches until the AT-ST began marching again, nearly tossing Chewie off the top. He grumbled his complaints to the two before finally climbing down to take full control of the walker. They caught up to another AT-ST and proceeded to blast it before any Ewoks could be killed. Wandering Stormtroopers were also caught in the attack. All the other Ewoks cheered as the machine was suddenly on their side.

Back at the bunker, Han was working incessantly to open the door by hotwiring. Sparks flew and he felt hopeful.

"I think I got it. I got it !" To his disappointment, the second blast door closed behind him, negating all his efforts.

Leia was busy focusing on the Stormtroopers hiding in the bush. One of them managed to land a shot to her shoulder, causing her to yell out in pain.

C3PO turned to her. "Oh, Princess Leia, are you all right ?"

Han knelt next to her. "Let's see."

She refused his help. "It's not bad."

While they were distracted, a couple of Stormtroopers surprised them. "Freeze ! Don't move !"

Leia held a blaster behind her back, Han turned over to her. "I love you."

She knew she could catch them off guard, so she played the part with Han. "I know."

One of the Stormtroopers made the mistake of interrupting their "moment". "Hands up ! Stand up !"

Han quickly stepped out of the way, allowing Leia the chance to shoot down the two Stormtroopers. The attack was so sudden, neither could have seen it coming.

Han looked back at her in awe. The sound of an approaching AT-ST made him quickly stand up, holding his hands in the air. "Stay back."

To his surprise, Chewie popped out of the walker, growling at his long-time friend.

Han had never been so glad to see him. "Chewie ! Get down here ! She's wounded !"

Before Chewie could do anything else, a proverbial lightbulb appeared over Han's head. "No, wait ! I have an idea."

 **Emperor's Throne Room, Death Star**

Darth Vader was still locked in combat against Luke and Mina. Usually, the two should have been able to get the upper hand, but Vader's connection to the Dark Side, amplified by his hate and anger, made him a near-invincible opponent. But Luke allowed the darkness to take him temporarily, allowing him to knock his father down the stairs.

Palpatine laughed, sensing the darkness taking over the boy. "Good. Use your aggressive feelings, boy ! Let the hate flow through you."

Mina quickly calmed her friend down. "Woah there, Luke ! Don't let negative emotions take control of you. Let go. Breathe. Relax. Let go of the negativity that's trying to take hold of you."

Luke knew she was right. He extinguished his lightsaber.

Vader stood back, ready to continue his duel. "Obi-Wan, Yoda and Ahsoka have taught you two well."

Luke backed away, pulling Mina by her shoulder. "We will not fight you, Father."

Vader walked up the stairs next to them. "You are both unwise to lower your defenses." Vader quickly struck at Luke. Luke had ignited his saber a moment before, parrying the blow. Mina and Luke then back-flipped to a catwalk above them, protecting them from Vader's wrath… for now.

Luke once again tried to reach out. "Your thoughts betray you, Father. I feel the good in you… the conflict."

Vader quickly denied his observations. "There is no conflict."

Mina wasn't buying it. "Yeah, right ! Keep trying to tell yourself that ! It's thanks to your "inner-conflict" that Mom is still alive. You couldn't even bring yourself to kill your old Padawan."

Luke kept with Mina's words of wisdom. "Mina is right ! You couldn't bring yourself to kill me before… and I don't believe you'll destroy us now."

Vader purged his memories of his past, he knew he had to act. "You both underestimate the Power of the Dark Side. If you will not fight, you will both meet your destiny !" Vader swung his saber in the air, cutting the support wires of the catwalk, sending Luke and Mina tumbling down. They quickly hid in the shadows.

Palpatine, pleased at how the conflict was going, rose from his chair and walked over to the edge of the stairs to get a better view. "Good. Good."

 **In Space**

The colossal battle between the Imperial Fleet and the Rebel Fleet kept raging. Thanks to Wedge, Hera, Ahsoka and Lando's quick shooting skills, the majority of Rebel cruisers were spared from the blasts of the Tie-Fighters flying everywhere.

A group of Tie-Fighters was pursuing the Falcon. "Watch out ! Squad at .06 !"

"I'm on it, Gold Leader !" Red 2 quickly assumed attack position and blew off a couple of Tie-Fighters.

Wedge quickly congratulated his friend. "Good shot, Red 2 !"

While Hera took care of one of the remaining Tie-Fighters, Lux managed to get a lucky shot with his turret cannon. "I got another ! I got another ! Yeah !"

Ahsoka couldn't help but praise her husband. "Good shooting, Lux ! We may make a sharpshooter out of you yet !"

Ahsoka couldn't see, but Lux blushed intensely. "I aim to please, 'Soka !"

Like everyone, Lando couldn't wait forever to launch their attack. "Now, come on, Han, ol' buddy ! Don't let me down !"

 **Imperial Base, Forest Moon of Endor**

An AT-ST approached the other end of the base and communicated their "victory". "It's over, Commander. The Rebels have been routed. They're fleeing into the woods. We need reinforcements to continue the pursuits."

The Commander, ecstatic about their apparent victory, gave his last orders. "Send 3 squads to help ! Open the back door !"

As the Imperials gathered at the back of the base, they quickly found themselves surrounded not only by the Rebels, but also the Ewoks. Now, there was no point in resisting to surrender.

Inside the base, they began to replace all their charges. Soon, the shield would finally be down. Han urged everyone to hurry placing the explosives. "Throw me another charge." He quickly placed in on the ceiling.

 **Emperor's Throne Room, Death Star**

Under the demolished catwalk, Vader stalked the shadows for Luke and Mina, his lightsaber ready to strike. "You cannot hide forever, either of you."

Luke's voice echoed in the darkness. "We will not fight you."

Vader peered into Luke's thoughts, searching for a weakness. "Give yourselves to the Dark Side. It is the only way the two of you can save your friends. Yes, your feelings for them are strong. Especially for… Luke's sister ! So, Luke has a twin sister. Your feelings have now betrayed her too. Obi-Wan and Yoda were wise to hide her from me. Now, their failure is complete. If neither of you will turn to the Dark Side, then perhaps _she_ will !"

At that moment, Luke snapped. "NEVER !" He quickly lunged out of the darkness and assaulted Vader with a barrage of blows, Mina quickly following him, ready to assist him.

Eventually, Vader is cornered and Luke is relentless in his attack, eventually cutting off his fighting hand. Luke held his lightsaber inches from Vader's neck, whom was now breathing harshly. Mina quickly tried to stop him. "Woah ! Woah ! WOAH ! CALM DOWN, LUKE ! If you keep that up, you'll kill him ! Don't become like him… or his Master. You're better than this."

Palpatine's laughter rang out in the room. "Good ! Your hate has made you powerful ! But… There are two of you… and only one I can choose as my next Apprentice… So who will it be ?" He turned to Mina at first. "You, young lady, you possess immense potential… far more than Skywalker ever could. Do you know why ?"

Mina crossed her arms over her chest, frowning at him. "What makes me more powerful than Luke ? Enlighten me."

Palpatine paced around her, making her squirm in nervousness. "It's in your blood. Because of a past event involving your mother, you possess a small fraction of the lifeblood she inherited from a Force Wielder. A God of the Force. The one that gave away the last of her life to revive your mother was the Avatar of the Light Side. With training, we can unlock the powers linked to the Darkness. What do you say ? Will you become my very first Sith Lady ?"

Mina quickly refused the offer. "Me ? A Sith Lady ?! Is this your idea of a bad joke ? Sure, I'll become a Sith Lady… in your wildest dreams, Palpy !"

Palpatine groaned. "I should have seen it coming. Well then, it's up to you, young Skywalker. Fulfill your destiny and take your Father's place at my side !"

Luke quickly looked at his robotic hand. If he continued to bathe in the Dark Side, he could eventually become as terrible as his father was. He tossed his lightsaber to the side. "Never ! Just like Mina, I'll never turn to the Dark Side. You've failed, your Highness. I am a Jedi, like my father before me."

Mina wrapped an arm around Luke. "And I am neither Jedi nor Sith. I'm neutral, I'm the "One in the Middle", as the Force Entity known as The Bendu, would say."

At that point, Palpatine knew he wasn't getting a new Apprentice anytime soon. "So be it, children." Rage slowly began to consume him.

 **Imperial Base, Forest Moon of Endor**

Han quickly rallied the other Rebels as far from the base they possibly could. "MOVE ! MOVE !"

In a moment, the base exploded in a thousand pieces, finally removing the shield that protected the Death Star.

Rex breathed a sigh of relief. "We did our part. Let's hope Generals Syndulla and Calrissian do theirs."

 **In Space**

In the cockpit of the Ghost, Chopper warbled a comment when his radar picked up a new signal. Hera was ready to avenge Kanan, Ezra, Sabine and Zeb. "The shield generator just got blasted away, everyone ! Let's move out !"

Ackbar gave the definitive orders. "The shield is down ! Commence the attack on the Death Star's main reactor ! Gray 4 and Green 7, escort Agent Fulcrum to the Death Star's main hangar immediately !"

Lando was ready to complete his part of the dangerous mission. "We're on our way ! Hera, lead on ! Red Group, Gold Group, all fighters follow the Ghost !" He turned to his equally excited Sullustan co-pilot. "Ha ha ha ! Told you they'd do it !" He then turned the comm channel over to Ahsoka. "Good luck out there, Tano ! You'll need it !"

In a matter of moments, the Y-Wing landed in an occupied hangar. Ahsoka quickly stepped out, figuring a way to sneak around towards Palpatine's Throne Room. She turned to Lux, whom peeked from his window. "Stay there for now. It's only a matter of time until chaos engulfs this station, When that happens, secure an Imperial shuttle and wait for us. We'll be coming as fast as we can !"

Lux waved to her. "Good luck, 'Soka… and be careful."

She quickly sneaked around the pilots and troops, quickly entering the elevator. She then used the Force to guess on which floor they all were. " _Hold on, sweetie ! I'm coming !_ "

 **Palpatine's Throne Room**

Palpatine slowly raised his hands, ready to blast Luke and Mina with Force Lighting. "Since neither of you will be turned, you will be-"

He was interrupted when the elevator door slid open, revealing a very irate Togruta. Ahsoka immediately ignited her white lightsabers. "Why don't stop all of this right here, hmm ?"

Palpatine couldn't help himself to laugh at her attempt to save the day. "What do you hope to accomplish here, Ahsoka Tano ? You do not possess the power to stop me ! You are far too late !" He looked down to Vader. "Now watch closely, Lord Vader, as I accomplish what you could not : Terminating Skywalker's Apprentice." He turned his attention back to Ahsoka. "Let me… welcome you… TO YOUR DOOM !" He proceeded to blast her with Force Lightning, but Ahsoka quickly raised her lightsabers, absorbing the blast.

He tried again and she blocked once more. "Is that all you can do ? I've heard that you defeated Masters Fisto, Kolar and Tiin before they even got a chance to take a stab at you ! Why don't you show me how good you are with your sabers, old man ?!"

Palpatine produced two lightsabers from his sleeves. "I had thought I could spare you the humiliation of combat, but if that is the only way to satisfy you… COME ON THEN !"

"MOM ! Let us help you !" Mina pleaded.

Ahsoka used a Force Push to shove them away. "No, this is my fight. Don't get involved… for your own good. Please."

Palpatine roared as he flew towards Ahsoka. The two traded blows relentlessly, while a weakened Vader looked from the distance. He turned over to Luke and Mina. "She can't hope to defeat him. She'll be killed as soon as she begins to tire."

Palpatine tried to break her concentration. "Yes ! I feel your hate ! Your anger ! Let them feed you… then you may have a chance to defeat me. Who knows, you may replace me once I die !"

Ahsoka held on, never losing her focus. "You're reading off the wrong emotions, sleemo ! It's neither hate, not anger that fuels me ! It's my unconditional love as a devoted mother to her child. My dedication to ensure that she gets to live a fruitful life. I will _never_ let you take my daughter away and destroy her life like you did with Anakin's !"

Palpatine could sense that she was beginning to weaken. "Ah… of course. Compassion, the Jedi's true weakness." It was then that Ahsoka made the mistake of letting her guard down. Palpatine quickly proceeded to blast her with Force Lightning, sending her tumbling to where Vader stood. He turned to Luke and Mina, who stood in shock at how quickly Palpatine defeated Ahsoka. "And now… onto business."

Before Luke and Mina could ignite their lightsabers, they felt the powerful jolt of Force Lightning. Both were brought down to their knees. "Young fools… Only now… at the end… do you understand. Your feeble skills are no match for the Power of the Dark Side. You have paid the price for your lack of vision !"

Mina struggled to call out to Ahsoka. "Mom ! Help ! Please ! Get up ! You're strong ! Heeelp !"

Ahsoka slowly stood on her knees, watching as her daughter's life was slowly slipping away. " _Too weak… Too weak… I… I can't even stand up…_ "

Vader, on his end, got up and walked over to his Master.

Even as Luke felt intense pain, he tried to call out to Anakin. "Father, please ! Help me !"

Palpatine gave an evil smile as he would soon taste victory. "And now, children, you will both die. Then the girl's mother will join you two into the Afterlife !"

At that point, turmoil formed into Vader's mind. He looked at his Master, at Luke and back at his Master. He suddenly felt his old Force Bond reopening for the first time since they've fought on Malachor. " _Anakin… only you can stop this. Can you truly allow my daughter and your son to perish at his hands ? Please, Anakin. Come back to the Light. Do it for your son. Save him from that monster. Save us all… You're our only hope. Please, Anakin…_ "

Vader quickly picked up Palpatine with all his might and managed to toss him down a nearby power shaft. For his heroic deed, he paid the ultimate price. Palpatine's Force Lightning hit his helmet and suit, causing it to slowly fail. Once Palpatine hit the bottom of the shaft, a great explosion rumbled the Throne Room. Finally, despite everything that happened, Anakin Skywalker had fulfilled the Prophecy of The Chosen One and brought much-needed balance to the Force.

Luke, Mina and Ahsoka slowly crawled over to Vader, their shallow breaths almost mimicking his now rasping respirator. They would survive this. Not it was a matter of escaping the station alive. Ahsoka hoped that Lux didn't get caught while she tried to rescue Mina.

 **Yes ! Yes ! Yes ! I've been itching to write this segment for so long ! I truly hope that I did the scene justice. Surely none of you expected Ahsoka to beat Palpatine, right ? She's strong, but not that strong ;) But all's well that ends well. Over the next and final chapter, Lando, Wedge and Hera will succeed to destroy the Death Star. Before Anakin dies due to his injuries, Ahsoka will a have a few questions answered that will erase all the guilt she felt for leaving him. Look forward for a brand new story by the end of November. Feel free to leave a review.**


	22. Epilogue

**Interior passages, Death Star**

The small group of Rebel fighters entered the unfinished portion of the Death Star, hoping to destroy the power generator. Hera lead Lando and the others into the cramped tunnels.

At this point, even Lando felt nervous. "Here goes nothing."

As they flew in the massive labyrinth, several Tie-Fighters pursued them.

In the Ghost's cockpit, Chopper had his radio dish out, scanning for the strongest power source. He quickly beeped his results. "Chopper found the location of the power generator. Lando, Wedge, you're coming with me ! The rest of you, get out of here now !"

As the three went deeper inside the Death Star, they passed an extremely narrow passage. So narrow, that Lando did scratch the Falcon's hull by accident. "That was too close !"

 **In Space**

The battle kept raging between the Imperial and Rebel fleets. No side were gaining any advantage, until Ackbar came up with a bold move. "We've got to give those fighters more time ! Concentrate all fire on that Super Star Destroyer !"

Several X-Wings rushed to the Executor, blowing up several parts. Inside the bridge, Admiral Piett kept his eye on the battle from the viewport.

An Imperial Officer quickly checked the status of the ship. "Sir, we've lost our bridge deflector shield !"

Piett quickly decided to use offense instead of defense. "Intensify forward batteries ! I don't want anything to get through !"

A stray A-Wing was hit and began spinning out of control towards the bridge.

Piett knew they'd be in trouble if it collided with them. "INTENSIFY FORWARD FIREPOWER !"

The ship kept spinning closer and closer. "Too late !"

The brave Rebel pilot was killed on impact, but his sacrifice caused the Executor to crash downwards… into the Death Star.

From Ackbar's cruiser, he breathed a sigh of relief while his aides cheered for their immense victory. It was a matter of time until the remains of the Imperial Fleet would be forced to escape to unoccupied pockets of space.

 **Main Hangar, Death Star**

All manner of Imperial staff were running amok, trying to find an escape vessel for themselves as the alarms blared incessantly. Amidst the chaos, Luke, Mina and Ahsoka struggled to carry Anakin so they could escape all together. Ahsoka scanned the hangar for Lux, she saw him standing by an Imperial shuttle.

He tried to remain calm despite knowing they had little time before the Death Star would be destroyed… again. "We should hurry, everyone. I've managed to claim this shuttle for our escape. It's not the Tydirium, but she'll do." Lux did a double-take when he noticed Vader with them. "Huh ? Why is he… ? Have you actually succeeded in bringing him back, 'Soka ?"

Ahsoka gently placed Anakin near the shuttle's boarding ramp. "The credit isn't mine, Lux. It's Luke here that I owe my thanks. He was able to reach out to him. He saved us all from the Emperor's wrath."

"Wh-what ?! You mean to tell me that Palpatine has been killed ?!" Lux's eyes widened in shock.

Luke took the opportunity to explain. "Yes, he picked the Emperor up and tossed him into a power shaft. Without him or Father leading the Empire, it'll crumble soon enough."

Anakin still had trouble breathing, his breaths became more and more laboured. "So… tired… Rest… I need rest…"

Reality hit Ahsoka like a wall of durasteel. Her Master, Anakin Skywalker, was dying. "Anakin… there are so many things I would want to know… Too many questions, so I'll stick with what's more important for me…"

Anakin turned to her. "What would you like to know, Ahsoka ?"

Ahsoka took a deep breath. "Why did you turn ? You were such a good and caring person."

Anakin took a moment to ponder. "It began when I had visions of Padmé dying in childbirth. Palpatine promised me a way to save her, so I gave in and joined the Sith. I was _that_ desperate to help Padmé. Following my duel against Obi-Wan on Mustafar… Palpatine told me that I killed Padmé in my anger. Little did I know, that he had outright lied to me. I was broken once I couldn't feel her lifeforce anymore… With no other purpose, I served Emperor Palpatine in an attempt to restore order in the Galaxy."

Ahsoka controlled herself to not come down on him in anger and disappointment. "Well… There's no denying that you loved Padmé with all your heart, even I could tell by the way you two looked at each other. Your intentions were good, but the way you went about it… well…" She inhaled and exhaled a few times before continuing. "One last question, Anakin : Was there at any point in time that you felt that I had abandoned you and failed you when I left the Order all those years ago ?"

Anakin grabbed Ahsoka's hand, squeezing it. "No. You were in the right for leaving after your trial. If anything, I was angry at the High Council in how they've dealt with the situation. Trying to pass it off as a Test of the Force was a terrible farce. It did make me less trusting of the Council, so it's not too surprising that I eventually switched sides. The Sith are hardly better, they're always trying to surpass and betray each other. Do you remember when we talked on Mandalore… before myself and Obi-Wan were called in to rescue the Chancellor ?"

A tear rolled down from Ahsoka's cheek. "How could I forget ? You praised me on my choice of path despite having left the Order."

Anakin weakly nodded. "That's right. I've always been proud of you. Even when we fought on Malachor, I was impressed at how far you've come. With your current skills, you would be considered a Master, not a Knight. No matter what you do with the rest of your life, I'll always be proud of you, my Padawan. You've even raised a child and trained her as well as I trained you. You never cease to amaze me."

At this point, Ahsoka couldn't hold it anymore, she broke and wept as she hugged her dying Master. "I should've stayed with you. Maybe all of this could've been avoided if I hadn't…"

Anakin shook his head. "No. Had you stayed, myself or the clones would have killed you. You have nothing to forgive or regret. You did what you had to do. I chose my path as you had chosen yours."

She broke off from her embrace. "Thank you, Master. I'm glad to hear that I never brought shame upon you." Whatever guilt she felt disappeared quickly.

Anakin then turned his attention to Luke. "Luke, help me take this mask off."

Luke hesitated. "But you'll die."

"Nothing can stop that now. Just for once… let me look on you with my own eyes." Anakin pleaded.

After a bit of hesitation, Luke finally pulled the mask. Ahsoka covered her mouth, gasping and looking at his burns and scars he endured. He was unrecognizable, save for his voice. Even Mina couldn't hide her surprise.

With his mask off, Anakin's life was slipping away even faster. "Now… go… my son. Leave me."

Luke wasn't going to let him die like this. "No, you're coming with us. We can't leave you here. We've got to save you."

Anakin smiled gently. "You already have… all of you. You and Ahsoka were right about me. Even you, Mina, was it ? You tried to reach out to me. I could hear, but couldn't act. Vader had complete control over me. I'm glad that I finally managed to banish him for good. Luke, tell you sister… you were right."

Anakin's eyelids fluttered for a moment. "Father… I won't leave you. Neither will Ahsoka."

At that moment, Anakin laid down on the metal floor and quietly passed away. Ahsoka called out to him for the last time. "Anakin ? Anakin ?" Tears flowed freely. It took all her self-control to not break down and bawl like a baby.

Mina could sense her mother's emotional distress. She embraced her mother. "It's ok, Mom. It's ok. He's happy now… No longer suffering. He finally gets to see Padmé again after so long."

Luke also quickly mourned his passing. An explosion rocked the hangar, bringing everyone out of their mourning. Lux motioned everyone to board the shuttle. "I do believe we've overstayed our welcome. We should be going."

 **Interior passages**

The Ghost, the Falcon and Wedge reached the power generator.

Wedge had visual contact of their targets. "There it is !"

Lando readied his shot. "All right, Wedge. You and I will hit the main reactor. Hera, the shot for the power regulator is yours !"

"Copy that, Calrissian. Let's do this !" Hera flew the Ghost and released a blast to the power regulator.

Once Lando and Wedge blasted the main reactor, it began a chain reaction which would destroy the station in a moment. The three ships zoomed ahead of the series of explosions that followed them.

 **In Space**

Sensing the Death Star's impending destruction, Ackbar began to move away from the coming explosion. "Move the Fleet away from the Death Star."

Inside the Main Hangar, the Imperial shuttle carrying Lux, Luke, Mina, Ahsoka and Anakin's body took off seconds before the explosion consumed the hangar in its entirety. The Ghost and Wedge's X-Wing managed to exit the cramped tunnels rather easily. All that was left now was the Falcon and a pursuing Tie-Fighter. The Imperial pilot was devoured by the flames while Lando squeezed the Falcon out just as the explosions destroyed the rest of the superstructure. The Death Star then exploded in an enormous supernova, signaling the official end of the Imperial Regime.

Lando and Nien cheered for their successful escape. Chopper couldn't help to beep a chuckle as he saw the explosion. Hera, on her end, felt a wave a relief washing over her. " _Kanan, Ezra, Sabine, Zeb. You've all been avenged now. Your sacrifice wasn't in vain. I… would've liked all of you to have lived long enough to see this, but alas…_ "

 **Forest Moon of Endor**

The explosion of the Death Star could be seen from the skies. The Rebels, Chewie and Ewoks all cheered for their victory.

Even C3PO was pleasantly surprised. "They did it !"

Both Han and Leia watched the sky for a moment. Han tried to cheer her up. "I'm sure Luke and Mina weren't on that thing when it blew."

Leia closed her eyes for a second. "They weren't. I can feel it."

Han wondered about her feelings for Luke. "You love him, don't you ?"

She nodded. "Yes."

For a moment, Han thought he had no chance. "All right. I understand. Fine. When he comes back, I won't get in the way."

Leia smiled and laughed softly. "Oh… It's not like that at all." She leaned over to him. "He's my brother."

Han does a double-take. It takes a moment to realize that he can in fact have a relationship with Leia. They kiss, much to Wicket's insistence, who stood besides the two lovers.

The news of the Emperor and Darth Vader's death spread like wildfire all over the Galaxy. On planets such as Naboo, Onderon, Shili, Ryloth and even Coruscant, the people celebrated the defeat of the Galactic Empire.

While a grand celebration took place in the Ewok villages, not everyone was joyful for the time being. Luke and Ahsoka had placed Anakin's body on a pile of wood for a funeral pyre. Together, they lit up the stack of wood with a torch. They both looked as Anakin Skywalker was devoured by the flames.

Ahsoka wrapped an arm around Luke, consoling him. "Anakin would have wanted it this way. He wasn't a conventional Jedi, but I would never think of denying him a Jedi-style funeral. He's out there, Luke. He's reunited with Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon, Master Yoda… and most importantly… Padmé."

"Can you tell me about my mother ? I never knew her." Luke asked.

Ahsoka wouldn't deny him this request. "Honestly, Luke. There is _so_ much I could tell. We've risked our lives for each other on several occasions. I wouldn't know where to begin…"

"I guess the beginning would be a good place to start ?" Luke joked.

Ahsoka snorted a laugh. "Smartass ! You know, you remind me of Anakin more and more. You're as impulsive and reckless as he was. And I mean this in the best possible way."

As they walked towards the Ewok villages, Ahsoka recounted her tale of the time she and Padmé were infected by the Blue Shadow Virus on Naboo.

Elsewhere, the Ghost was parked in between some trees. In the cockpit, Hera was troubled by the events that occurred in the past 10 years. Ever since they brought Ezra into their group, the Spectres became a target for the ISB, Inquisitors and Grand Admiral Thrawn.

Everybody else were likely celebrating, but she kept thinking how she wanted to enjoy this moment with Kanan. " _If only we hadn't gone back to Lothal… you could've…_ "

" _Tears don't become you, Hera._ "

Hera did a double-take. "K-Kanan ?! Wh-where are you ?"

Kanan's disembodied voice chuckled. " _Heh. I'm always around, Hera. Even if you can't see me…_ "

Tears flowed down her cheeks. "I wanted so much that we could enjoy each other after the Empire was toppled. I had a feeling it was a matter of time."

" _Well… we made the best of it while I was still with you, right ?_ "

"I guess… But what should I do now ? I can't continue on alone. I need company." Hera sighed sadly.

" _And you should have someone to keep you company. It won't be me… But I know someone that you might get along with. Even if you two butted heads at first…_ "

Hera raised an eyebrow. "Lando ? Are you actually suggesting that I should fall in love with that… that… scoundrel ?"

" _I don't think he's all bad. Of course, I'd rather be there with you… But as things stand… You can't keep yourself longing for me forever, Hera. You need to move on with_ _ **your**_ _life. Mine has gone by. Don't wallow in sadness and regret. Live your life and be happy. I wouldn't want anything less from you. You and Lando could live a happy and peaceful life now that the Empire is gone. Maybe have a kid or two ? You know I would've loved that bit myself !_ "

Hera couldn't help but snort a laugh. "Yeah, I'm sure you would have enjoyed it ! I'll have to think about this before I do anything. But mark my words Kanan Jarrus : I'll never forget you."

" _Don't worry. I won't forget you either, Hera Syndulla. You think your father would approve of Lando ?_ "

Hera couldn't help but snicker at the mental imagery. "Hoo boy ! I think Father would give him a piece of his mind if he tried anything reckless with me. You know… I should go for it, just to see Father's reaction. I would expect some comical results."

" _That's my girl ! I always loved seeing you smile. Probably the most beautiful thing about you. Well… I'm going back to see Ezra before he gets himself in trouble. Take care of yourself, Hera._ "

For the first time in a long time, Hera felt joy overwhelm her. She turned to her astromech. "All right, Chopper. Stay and watch the ship. I'm going to celebrate."

Chopper waved her goodbye.

Up in the Ewok village, bonfires lit up the wooden pathways. Some found a humorous way to use the Imperial helmets, as percussion instruments in addition of their tribal drums.

Rex was overjoyed to see Ahsoka, alive and well. "Commander ! It's been too long ! You don't know how glad I am that you survived Malachor."

Ahsoka wrapped the Clone Captain in an embrace. "Glad that you're alive as well, Rex. Thank you for helping Han and the others."

Lux and Mina arrived, carrying several small crates. Lux opened one. "Who's up for some fine Nubian wine ?"

Ahsoka didn't skip a beat. "Hand me a glass, please. After everything that I've endured in the last day, I need a drink !"

Mina helped herself with a glass. "Hmm. Haven't had wine in a good while. I had forgotten how good it tasted."

Ahsoka wrapped an arm around her daughter. "I have to thank you for sticking with Luke. You were able to keep him from giving in to anger."

"And I wouldn't want it any other way. Thanks, Mina." Luke quickly walked towards Mina, hugging her. Luke then hugged Leia.

As Lando was busy telling the tale of how he flew the Falcon out of the Death Star, he caught the sight of Hera. "Hera, what a privilege to have you with us."

Hera waved her head to the side. "Want to come and walk with me ? I would like a word with you."

Lando felt that she might be the right woman for him. "Would I ever ! Lead the way, beautiful."

As the two went off for some privacy, Luke sensed presences nearby. He stared at an edge and saw the Force Ghosts of Obi-Wan, Yoda and his father, Anakin. Finally, the Force was balanced once again, thanks to Anakin's sacrifice.

 **And that's a wrap ! Glad that I managed to finish this story ahead of schedule. How have you all found the story ? I really hope I paid just tribute to the Original Trilogy while adding my touch. Next weekend, I'll be starting a new story. We'll be revisiting the Modern Cast for the last time. It won't be a oneshot, but it won't a grand epic like this either. For next year, I do have some interesting crossover ideas. Feel free to leave a review.**


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